


Addiction

by HeatherGiesbrecht



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Friendship, Knives, Loki's Kids, Loki-centric, M/M, Magic, Magic-Users, Marvel Norse Lore, References to Norse Religion & Lore, Sexual Content, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2015-03-22
Packaged: 2018-03-03 06:57:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 39
Words: 47,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2842133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeatherGiesbrecht/pseuds/HeatherGiesbrecht
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki was an addiction to him, even more than the thrill of a new won battle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Addiction

Thor grimaced as he looked from the light-golden wall of his bedchamber down at Loki who was still asleep. Long black-hair was feathered across the white pillow like spilled ink, the pale skin so pretty against the dark-red blanket. _'This is wrong, sex with my brother is so very wrong and yet I can't stop. It's like he's some herb I can't get enough of.'_

Whenever he tried to stop all it took was one look into those big, mesmerizing, emerald-green eyes followed by a deliberately ragged, "Tho-or.", and he would give in.

Despite the fact that he should have left while he could, he leaned down and traced Loki's cheekbone with a finger. Loki sighed deeply and, so very guiltily, he watched the lithe muscles ripple taunting him to wake his brother. To lick and suck, to make that pretty body arch, writhe and moan in wild abandon.

He resisted the urge and trailed his fingers down the pale throat, over the pectorals, stopping to feel that heart beat strongly under his palm. It was hard to believe with how small he was, that Loki was just as strong as the rest of them. Maybe that was part of it too, that Loki just looked so vulnerable and even more defenseless than normal when he was asleep. _'Lovely Loki,_ _ **my**_ _lovely Loki.'_

Then Loki rolled to put an arm around his waist before starting to burrow into his side. It was so little that he ever got to see his brother truly relaxed. Why ? Because there was always some odd bit of tension between his brother, Sif and the others. If he ever managed to stop then this little bit of peace, when it was just them alone, with no one to interfere or tell them what to do, would stop as well.

_'If Father makes me King it wouldn't be odd to see Loki coming and going from my room, he is, after all, my brother. I would need him as an advisor as well seeing how he paid far more attention to politics and such then I did.'_

Until now, he hadn't realized just how much of his life revolved around Loki - his brother was everywhere, doing almost everything with him. Loki was an addiction to him, even more than the thrill of a new won battle.

His heart beat faster at the sleepily murmured, "Thor.", while those green-eyes fluttered open. Nothing could beat that rush of adrenaline and that was when he realized - it might be wrong, but he **didn't** want it to stop, ever.


	2. Accords

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations : Sol - 'Sun', Grundsol - 'Ground sun'

In the gold-gilded meeting hall of Vanaheim, Loki hid his tension behind an illusion as he looked about the table at those gathered around him, at the Vanir, Alfar and Jotnar delegates.

His long brown-blond haired Aunt Freyr, who sat diagonally from him, at the head of the peace-accords table, was Queen of Vanaheim. Uncle/King Harold had chosen not to appear and Father had, of course, sent him instead of Thor. _'It really was better that Father sent me instead of him. He likely would have tried to kill those frost-giants instead of let them stare.'_

There were three delegates from Jotunheim - Queen Frabauti with her guards - Helblindi and Byleistr. The seven and a half-foot tall Frabauti was dressed in black robes that contrasted with her white-blue skin and dark-ruby eyes, while her wavy black-hair was pulled into a knot. Helblindi and Byleistr both wore silver, black-hemmed kilts and gauntlets; also rather worryingly both were nine-feet tall.

_'Why does she keep staring at me ? She has been doing it for the last three days straight. I may never have seen any of the Jotnar before, since Father banned anyone from going to Jotunheim shortly after I was born, but I thought even they would be kind enough to not stare.'_

Directly across from him were Alfheim's delegates - King Sol, Prince Grundsol and their two guards who hadn't introduced themselves, Sol was like himself just over six feet tall. The King of Alfar was, appropriately, blond as the sun and pale-skinned, he wore orange and white robes.

Himself and Aunt Freyr were jointly representing both Asgard and Vanaheim, unlike the others though, he had no guards and Father had refused him weapons. _'Lying is part of what I do best, so why didn't I just disobey Father and cover my spear in a illusion ? The one time I want to be honest and obviously I chose the wrong time. I should have, at the least, brought one or two of my throwing knives with.'_

Currently, the peace-accords were winding down as everything had almost completely been wrapped up - Alfheim, Asgard and Vanaheim had agreed not to attack Jotunheim and the other way around - the only thing was that nothing had been signed yet, so nothing was official.

Nothing could have made him happier to get out of the hall, unless Thor had suddenly flown in and swept in to take him away. Aunt Freyr moved to stand beside him, "How fares you, nephew Loki ?"

In her light-blue robes, Aunt Freyr looked a lot like her sister Frigga who was his and Thor's mother. "It is disconcerting to be stared at by the Jotnar. Don't the frost-giants have manners, Aunt Freyr ?"

The Vanir reached out and took his hand as she answered, "Of course they do, it's just that King Sol and Prince Grundsol have seen you many times when yourself, Thor and your friends went to visit. Yet, as you were banned from going to see Jotunheim, Queen Frabauti has never seen you before. She has not seen any Asgardians for just over a thousand years."

Pursed his lips briefly before replying, "Why should that matter ? I look no different than you do."

"Well, mostly they would have heard of Thor and expected him in case something went wrong with the accords. They expected a middling sun and instead got a raven, not that they see much, if any, sun on Jotunheim."

He sighed before he started towards the guest-wing of the palace and his chambers. _'I will be very glad to get out of these robes.'_

Much better he preferred his black, silver, emerald and golden leather, scale and plate armour to the golden and emerald-robes he wore now. Of course, his ceremonial golden-emerald armour had also been off-limits because no one else had worn such ceremonial garb. It was not long before he sensed beings moving behind, beside and farther in front of him, he was utterly surrounded.


	3. Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation : Forn - 'Old, ancient', Einherjar - 'Single fighters'

As a storm raged outside Thor snarled at Tyr, "What do you mean someone **kidnapped** Loki ? How could someone kidnap him ?"

_'He's one of the smartest people I know, so how is that possible ? It shouldn't be ! After I find him, I am going to kill whoever did it._ _**No one** _ _kidnaps my love ! Love ?! Love ? Love.'_

The Commander of the Einherjar shifted and the spear in his hand thudded hollowly on the floor. Tyr's silver, bronze and slightly golden armour glowed in a flash of lightning, "I know not, my Prince. All I know is that Queen Freyr reported that Loki was missing to King Odin, Queen Frigga and myself. That was when Prince Grundsol stepped forward and said that he had spotted a disturbance yesterday after the fourth day of the peace-accords had finished."

"Why did Grundsol not help Loki ?" The white-silver eyed Prince of Alfheim had grown up as his and Loki's friend since they were little.

_'Grundsol is not one to run from a fight. So, it must have looked like Loki was winning and became overwhelmed later on.'_

Tyr ran his free hand through his slightly greying brown-hair, "Grundsol said some sort of magic was blocking his sight and so he went to try to find Queen Freyr so that she could take the spell down. Unfortunately, he didn't find her and as when he returned to the hallway Prince Loki was gone he hoped that Loki had escaped from it."

Unable to stand still any longer as the thunder crashed, he started pacing around his bedchamber. _'King Eitri and Nidavellir wouldn't be interested in Loki or the accords. Who alone amongst the Nine Worlds would have gain from such a thing...Forn and Muspelheim.'_

His thoughts made him wonder, "What of Muspelheim and Surtr the Ancient ? Surely, it would benefit the King of Fire-giants to kidnap Loki. While we would be blaming each other for his disappearance, it would start potentially a war between Asgard, Vanaheim and Jotunheim. If that were to happen then the Eldjotnar would be able to sweep in and start taking over the other Worlds without our interference."

Tyr raised an eyebrow, then put his fist over his heart and half-bowed, "I didn't think of that, I must go and ask the King what he thinks of your theory, my Prince.", before turning and walking out closing the door behind himself.

Slowly, he moved to sit down on his bed, looking over at Loki's side of the bed. Slid his hand over the too cold blanket. _'I thought he would only be gone for five days. That was what he said, yet, now, now, I find that someone actually managed to kidnap him.'_

**Flashback**

He blinked up at Loki, his hand sliding to rest on Loki's hip as the smaller Asgardian pushed himself up into a sitting position.

Barely managed to keep his eyes on Loki's face as a hand ran through black-hair and a sigh left those lips, "There is something that I should have told you last night."

"What is it ? Sif didn't hit you in the head again did she ?"

A scoff and the soft voice was slightly annoyed, "Do you really think I would bother to mention **that** after all this time ? It is far more important then **her** , Thor. Father asked me represent Asgard at the peace-accords with Vanaheim, Alfheim and Jotunheim."

_'So, he's going to leave then.'_

Disappointment washed through him, "Oh, well, why could not Olaf go in your stead ?"

"Einherjar Olaf tires of it as he has gone for millenium and Father said I have to go. Think you, Thor, that you might manage without me for five mere days starting today ?"

Raised himself to press a light-kiss against Loki's lips and leaned his forehead against the pale one to whisper, "But, **I** **don't** want you to go."

His protest pried a chuckle from Loki, "It will not be that long, though it may seem so."

There was a knock on his chamber-door, that was followed seconds later with Loki having illusioned his clothes and himself out of sight. Hissed, "Ymir's blood !", as his head banged into the wall as his brother moved off the bed.

Said bang alerted whomever was on the other side of the door and Mother's voice came through it, "Thor, have you awakened ? Did you fall off the bed again ?"

Loki allowed him to hear the snicker at Mother's last question because of the very odd...situation...they had gotten into to cause it, and he answered "Yes, Mother and no Mother, I didn't. Need you something ?"

"Have you seen Loki ? Your aunt Freyr and Uncle Harold want him to meet them in time for breakfast."

 _'There is a reason that Loki is called Silver-tongue and not myself._ _I can't lie to Mother and even if I would I am terrible at it. So, don't and tell the truth, you don't where he's standing, so you don't where he went. I just sounded far too much like Loki for my own good.'_

"He was here a second ago, but where he went I don't know. He's going to visit Vanaheim then ?"

"Yes, it's only for a few days, still make sure you say good-bye. You how much it means to him."

"I will, Mother."

The sound of Mother's footsteps slowly fading away.

**End Flashback**

It worried him greatly to think that Loki could be in Surtr's clutches. Surtr, while he had never formally gone to war with Grandfather Bor, had expressed, "Great malcontent.", as Loki called it with Asgard and Father. _'Get up, get dressed and Mjolnir then go talk to Grundsol, find out if he knows more then he told. If nothing comes about, then Sif, Hogun, Fandral, Volstagg and I can go to Muspelheim to look around.'_

Minutes later, the oak door slammed shut and the golden room was left cold as the storm faded away.


	4. Frabauti

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations: Heill - 'Good luck, good omen', Yfirloki - 'Above destruction'

The three Jotnar that Loki didn't know were eight or nine feet tall and the way that they all ringed him, even if he shape-shifted into mouse-form he would have a hard time escaping.

_'Mother said they have different magic then we do and the only of our magic that works on them is illusions, but already they have seen me and they know I can't go anywhere. This going to go anything, but well for me, that already I can tell.'_

Behind him Helblindi or Byleistr said, "Queen Frabauti requests an audience with thee, O' Prince Loki."

He turned to look at Fabauti's gaurds, "Please give Her Majesty my most humblest of apologies, but I would retire until tomorrow morning. Mayhaps I dareth to suggest it might be post-poned until the ending of the peace-accords, as we would not be so stressed and thusly able to talk more freely ?"

The one with dark-rose eyes looked to the other who had light-ruby eyes and shook his head, "Nay, she would speak to thee, now, whither you come willing or not. Is not that so, Helblindi ?"

Helblindi nodded then said, "Aye 'tis so, Byleistr. What sayeth you, littlest one ?"

A seconds comptemplation, and even tighter encircling, later, he answered, "That I might have words with Her Majesty."

Byleistr with a terrific smile, waved a great hand slightly and the ones stood behind him quickly grabbed hold of his shoulders. It made him flinch when he felt the ice freezing the soft fabric of his robes. _'Better not to struggle than to be frozen to illness or near to death with a single touch.'_

Of course, he was lifted all too easily and carried off towards the Queen of Jotunheim's chambers. Like his own chambers, they were made of light-wooded cedar, Frabauti sat in a silver-gilt chair in the middle of her audience-chamber. Her hair now was loose about her shoulders, though it only slightly softened her eyes. Frabauti raised a dainty, comparatively speaking to the other Jotnar, hand and the two holding him let go.

Made sure that the gaurds had moved away, so that he had plenty of room to do so himself, and then bowed, "Heill Frabauti, Queen of Jotunheim. Thou wishest to speak with me of a matter ?"

She tilted her head slightly as she stood and walked the few feet to look down at him, "Heill Loki, Prince of **Asgard**." Fully surprised he was not when she sneered at saying, "Asgard.", seeing how Father had beaten her husband Laufey on his own World. "You may relax, it's not the peace-accords I want to talk of."

While he asked, "What do you want to talk of then ?", he moved slightly away as she leaned down.

Further still Frabauti leaned, her eyes intense in their focus, "You."

"What of me ?"

"You were born days before Odin invaded Jotunheim and then banned Bifrost travel to my home were you not ?"

Perhaps it was that tiny bit of desperation in her eyes that made him uncomfortable as he replied, "I don't see what that has to do with anything, but yes, I was."

"Laufey and I, we wanted a strong name that sounded close to Great Ymir's and yet also Laufey's, my little Yfirloki was born on the Midgardian Winter Solstice. He was smaller than Laufey liked, but not even an hour later he froze the ruby we used it to see how strong the magic would become so that it broke into pieces. I was so proud of him and after mainly we named him Loki or 'destruction' because of it. He disappeared just a few days before Odin invaded."

He shook his head, refusing to believe what was being said to him, refusing to believe the implications. Quickly, he backed away as she reached for him, panicked and horrified thoughts flew through his head. _'It's not true, it cannot be !_ _ **I don't look anything like them !**_ _You don't look like Mother, Father or Thor either. Mother said I just took more blood from Grandmother instead, that's_ _ **all**_ _! I cannot be related to these beings, it's impossible,_ _ **Mother**_ _bore me days after Thor, Mother did.'_

Something, perhaps it was a sword flat or just one of the Jotnar's hands, either way an object hit him and everything went black. Thor appeared then getting **very** roughly and throughly fucked by a grey-furred bull on the red-blanketed bed. All the while, the black-haired Prince of Alfar, who floated in the far upper corner of the light-golden room, threw grown wolves at the pair and laughed like he'd been possessed of madness. As the wolves turned and threw themselves at him, he noticed their eyes were red, and then he was buried under an avalanche of crushing bodies.

Startled, he awoke but, refused to open his eyes praying to Valhalla that it was all just some nightmare. That when he opened them Thor would be laid beside him, deeply asleep like always, and there would be sunlight filtering through the window. Thor wasn't there, an unfamiliar fur blanket wrapped him and there was no sunlight, yet a ceiling of frosted-ice glittered above him.

Helblindi leaned over him, "A day near you were asleep, I thought you were stronger then that, half-brother."

Angered, he snarled back, "I am definitely **not** your brother **nor** am I even half your brother ! My mother is Frigga, Queen of Asgard !"

 _'I am not his half-brother, I am not his half-brother ! Thor, Mother, Father, Aunt Freyr, Thor,_ _**someone** _ _must have noticed I am missing. Come to me, Brother, come in all of your furious glory to save me !'_


	5. Orb

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sandr - 'Beach, sand', Dvalinn - 'Delayer'

Thor flipped a black-leather hilted dagger he'd taken from Loki's room before he'd left Asgard. It annoyed him that Grundsol was avoiding the question, normally the black-haired alf wasn't one for games. _'Of course, now he has to develop the habit, all while my own lovely habit may be dying.'_

Let the dagger slide through his fingers to grip the blade and raised the hilt to sniff it - lavender and earth - the result of the potion Mother always had Loki put in his wash water to keep his magic from flaring when he got angry, like had happened when they were ten.

**Flashback**

It was the screams that drew himself and Father down the hall, to see red-haired Sandr floating ten feet off the ground, then his gaze went to Loki. The smaller boy was stood still as a cold wind lashed through the hall nearly blowing Sandr into one of the columns.

Slowly, he walked up, wondering at how the air seemed to be cooling the closer he got, calling, "Loki, Loki."

As he reached Loki, the response was through gritted teeth, "Go away, Thor."

Father spoke up, "Loki, why have you done this ? Release him before you hurt him, please."

Warily, he ran a hand through the black-hair, trying to calm his brother as Loki growled, "He dared to call Mother a **whore** , Father."

"That may be, but you are not old enough to pass judgement on anyone. Your mother, Dvalinn and I will deal with Sandr Dvalinnson."

Sandr started floating downard only to crash into the floor from six feet up. A few seconds later Sandr was screaming again and running away, when Loki smirked the air started warming.

**End Flashback**

He startled out of the memory when finally, Grundsol answered, "All I managed to see before the barrier went up was that they were eight and nine feet tall. Some sort of giants or rock-trolls, I would guess."

_'For Loki to get to the hall he would have had to pass, at least, one of the energy orbs.'_

Long ago, Aunt Freyr had put some magic into a crystal orb to see what would happen. The orb had suddenly been connected to all the other orbs in the Vanaheim palace and allowed everything that had passed the orbs to be seen.

His gaze drifted to the knife and he questioned, "Do you think the orbs would have caught something of it ?"

"Perhaps they did, we might as well check to make sure. Where is the central orb ?"

"Just off the right inside wall of the throne room, always it is guarded, but likely you will have to go in by yourself."

Grundsol raised a black eye-brow, silver-white eyes concerned, "What ? Why ?"

Stared at the knife, at the crest etched into the blade - a swirl of wind pushing leaves past a stag - before he gave his response. _'I always wondered why Father named him Loki. Why not just call him Lopt as it's the real word for air ? It would explain why Sandr took to floating when Loki was angered. Illusions have to touch air before they reach the mind, just like magic, I think.'_

"When we were young, Loki and I, we got in trouble with Gaurdsman Maurr who gaurds the central orb."

"What did you two do ?"

**Flashback**

Himself and Loki sat on the throne room floor because Aunt Freyr was getting ready for something and Uncle Harold was sentencing bandits. The guard stood by the far door caught his eye, the door was a regular cedar door.

The silver and black plate-armoured guard was looking at them, leaned his forehead against Loki's and whispered, "Loki, what's in there do you think ? Weapons like in Father's vault ? Jewels, a **dragon**?"

"Don't be silly, Thor, you couldn't fit a dragon in that, an egg maybe, but a **whole** dragon that's preposterous."

"Pre-what ?"

"Mother said it once, it's a fancy way of saying something's ridiculous. We should find out what's in it."

Blinked at the sudden mischievous glee in his brother's eyes and that was when the guard suddenly ran from his post shouting, "Come back here !"

Loki grinned, he couldn't help grinning back as the pale hand took his, and he was pulled towards the door. When his brother couldn't open it with a spell followed by some knife-work, he tried pushing at it that didn't work either. They tried both methods at the same time and seeing how they thudded to the floor, it finally worked.

Still, it disappointed him as he pushed himself up to see that there were only two things in the room - a table and some sort of orb - not a dragon or dragon's egg in sight. Watched his brother run and jump onto the tall table to pick up the orb and turned to look at him. The orb was showing the entrance hall of the palace from the view of one of the dragon statues.

The guard's voice, "What are you brats doing in here ?"

Both of them, "We are not brats, we are the Princes of Asgard."

**End Flashback**

Grundsol laughed before saying, "So, what did you get punished with ?"

"I was banned from weapons practice for a month and Loki from magic for just as long. Not that it's ever stopped him, of course."

He and Grundsol got up and left the Prince of Alfheim's chambers to go to the throne room.


	6. Denial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations: Hailfalla - 'Hail fall', Hailsturm - 'Hail storm'

Loki jerked into a sitting position when an unfamiliar voice said, "That is very unfortunate because from here, despite the wrong-skin and eye-colour, you look very much like the long lost Prince of Jotunheim Yfirloki would have, had he not disappeared. You have the same cheekbones as I do and despite its being rare among males, you have Frabauti's hair."

The jotun who had spoken and stood in the door way was six and a half feet-tall, had blood-red eyes and wore a greenish kilt, shoulder-armour and gauntlets. More denial as the jotun, by his speech Laufey, walked to stand over the bed beside Helblindi.

"I am not your son and you, I presume, are Laufey ?"

"Call me Father, it's what I am after all - **your** father. You want to deny that you are jotun ? Then how come you smell like binding herbs ? Herbs that weaken not only your ice magic to near nothing, so that it becomes useless, but the level of your strength itself. Herbs that you wouldn't have needed were you a true Asgardian. Underneath that stench is the scent of fresh ice on a wind so cold that it would kill an Asgardian were he in it for a mere second, yet it would not kill one of the Jotnar. And then there is the scent of sweet frost-berries that are **only** found on Jotunheim. Can you still deny it ?"

_'This doesn't mean anything, he could be lying to me, he probably is. It wouldn't be beyond a creature like him. What reason has he to lie to you, he has never met you before ? No one besides Thor and Mother will care that I am gone, so if he wanted a war he won't get one. Why would Frabauti not just have ordered Helblindi and the others to kill you and leave you if Jotunheim wanted a war ?'_

Laufey's harsh laughter filled the room, "I see your thoughts on your face. Just like Odin was weak when he kidnapped you, being raised on Asgard has weakened you, **Yfir** loki."

 _'I was not born on Jotunheim ! I was_ _**not** _ _kidnapped ! I was born on Asgard; Asgard is my home and much as I hate the fact, Thor is my brother. I am not a jotun, I am an Asgardian !'_

Snarled, "I am **not** weak !", and he lashed out at Laufey only for his punch to be caught by Helblindi. He hid the grimace under an illusion, and pulled the blanket off himself, when his arm was half-twisted near to breaking. Then he willed Helblindi's hand off his arm and kicked the nine-foot jotun, the force behind it he wasn't expecting as Helblindi crashed into the far wall shattering it.

At that Laufey's eye-ridges raised and he smiled, then almost looking proud, he said, "See just being on Jotunheim you are regaining your true self, **son**. You might still be loathsomely small, but you should have the strength both physically and magically to make up for it."

He shook his head in denial, "If it by some chance were it to be true, by calling me that I would assume it was you who somehow had me kidnapped ?"

 _'How did I do that ? I never should have been able to do that, at all ! So, I forgot to put the potion in yesterday, it's just a_ _**coincidence**_ _. It has to be a coincidence, it must be.'_

Helblindi picked himself up with amused laughter, the light-ruby eyes glowing, "Indeed he should be, my King."

"Helblindi, shut up. And no, Yfirloki, you might have been born incredibly small, but the benefits of keeping you outweighed my desire to kill you. As Helblindi and Byleistr are only my blood through Frabauti they do not qualify for Princeship and so I needed an heir. It would have been a mistake for me to throw you away, it was not I that took you from the castle nor left you for Odin to find." With those words, Laufey turned on his heel and strode out of the room with Helblindi just behind him.

Dropped the illusion and for a single terrible, yet freeing, moment, wondered, _'W-what if it is true ? I wouldn't be damned to Hel for loving my brother in both senses of the word. Yet, if it is true and he found out, he wouldn't love me anymore. Thor would hate me, he would think that I had used him and, doubtless, try to kill me because Father told him the Jotnar are murderous monsters. Yes, I do have a penchant for mischief and lies, I am the God of Mischief after all, but I am not a monster. Either way, whether it be's true or not, I am stranded on Jotunheim. I doubt the Bifrost could penetrate this ice, surely they will have taken precautions against such a thing, because it would be the easiest way of killing the rulers and it's where I would strike first after all.'_

Laid himself down on the bed and tried to distract himself with a memory.

**Flashback**

As he dipped the emerald green cloth into the wash-basin, Thor, who had stood a few feet behind him for the last few minutes, startled when he asked, "Did you need something, brother ?", while wringing out the cloth.

Mentally, he cringed in disgust, self-hatred and shame at saying, "Brother." How he wished to the Norns that his fate could have been different. That Thor and himself could have what he wanted them to, it was not to be. Asgard had only one rule when it came to sexual activity - no family members - not knowingly, any way. There was no way that even he would pull something like that without Thor's consent. The dark-blue clad, middling-blond haired and bearded Asgardian walked to stand in front of his basin, that dark shade making those bright-blue eyes seem brighter still.

While he started cleaning his left arm and shoulder, Thor answered, sounding concerned, "I just wanted to know why you didn't show up for the celebration earlier. You didn't sneak off to the healers for injuries, did you ?" Thor moved a bit closer and looked him over, "You look fine."

He didn't answer until he'd finished cleaning his arm, then switched the cloth to his left hand and started on the right side, "I didn't feel like celebrating and being hit in the head by Sif by 'accident' does not count as an injury because she doesn't hate me." _'Yet, for now she 'merely' throughly dislikes my stealing Thor's attention from her, because he worries more for me on the battlefield.'_

Again, he dipped the cloth in the potion-scented water, not bothering to wring it as he started on his chest.

It was so very odd to see that handsome face frowning at him, "Why ever not, Loki ? You deserve to relax and tell stories like any of us does. You saved Fandral's life today and yet you stayed away and missed his mention of it."

With concentrated effort he held in the growl that wanted to escape and he took a deep breath, focusing on the feeling of the warm water sliding over his skin and the potions mainly lavender scent. His brother's hand brushed his shoulder to cup the nape of his neck then a second later, there was a, curiously soft, murmur, "What is wrong ?"

His eyes snapped open and the words that spilled from his lips were angry, bitter and sharp like the knives that he favoured, "Why should it matter what I do when always you are here ? Ever if I end up in a feat it is only for a sentence, if that. Rocks have more important and numerous mentions than I do, Thor,rocks ! Always I end up in your shadow because you're everything a son of Odin **should** be - big, blond, blue-eyed and brawny with barely enough brains for a pailful - your parts get embellished to lopt and mine ? What of mine ? Ground into the grund because unlike you I'm tiny, black-haired, **dark** -green **eyed** while nearly everyone else in our family is **light-eyed** ! Oh, oh and let's not forget the **very important** and most crucial of facts that I am weak compared to you. Compared to you I don't matter, compared to you I might well not exist because no one cares that I do, much less loves me for it. Never will the **secondborn** of Odin get a single tale of his own, whilst the **firstborn** has forty tales counting this very day's. How is that fair ? **How is it fair, Thor ?** " By the end of his rant he'd thrown the cloth down and started shouting at his, oddly passive, brother.

The breaths he took entered and left in ragged gasps, as he shook from both fury and pent-up magic, on the verge of losing consciousness. Sunlight from one of the side-windows cast part of Thor's concerned and angered face in shadow. Let himself be sat on the beige stone floor, just like when they were little, Thor's fingers started running through his hair. Everything went black until something, a blue and red-blur appeared in the distance, before dimly he felt lips brush his and then Thor was hissing against them, "Breathe, Loki for Nornsdamnedsake, breathe !"

Instinct had him catching Thor's fist before it could hit him, he let go and then opened his eyes to see those gorgeous blue-ones inches away. Thor only moved his lips an inch back as he answered, "It's not and how can you say that no one loves you ? Mother loves you-."

"That is not what I meant, Thor. You and every single one of the others, but Volstagg, and he only because he has a family, has crowds of people that, even though they don't mean it, would say they loved you at the drop of a helm and bed you while it still fell. I go with you to near every battle and do I have **even one** person willing to do such ? No, I don't because, once again, everyone falls all over you and ignores me !"

Lips met his again in an actual kiss as a hand started roaming over his chest.

**End Flashback**

The ceiling glittered mockingly like stars above him as he tried to forget where he was. A short knock on the door before it opened and a younger-looking, male jotun of about his just over six-foot height walked into the room.

He demanded, "Who do you think you are coming here ?!"

Said jotun rubbed his head nervously, "I am Hailfalla, son of Hailsturm, and Her Majesty Frabauti sent me. Art thee not lost Prince Yfirloki, son of Laufey ?"

"I am not, I am Prince **Loki** of Asgard, son of **Odin** !"

Hailfalla looked sheepish and winced, "I beg your pardon my Prince, I meant not offence."

"Fine, why did she send you here ?"

"To repair the wall that you caused Gaurd Helblindi to break."

"Then get on with it already, I am not in a mood for talk."

Hailfalla looked oddly disappointed, but set to his work and he found himself watching out of the corner of his eye. In a short while about an hour, if that, the wall went from fully destroyed to restored as Hailfalla made a block of ice to stand on for the tallest parts. _'It is impressive I must admit that he can do such. It would take Asgardians far longer to repair such a thing.'_

When Hailfalla was about to leave curiosity won out and he asked the young jotun to stay.


	7. Ransom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations : Logi - 'Fire', aptann - 'evening'

Trapped in a nightmare, Thor stopped running in the grey gloom to shout, "Loki !"

A distant distorted answer and he took a step forward to drop into blackness. Crashed into some sort of wall and then he hit something incredibly hard. His head swam as Loki's voice echoed desperately off the the chamber's circular walls, "Tho-or ! Thor, please, please, I-I don't want to die !", the plea ended in a ragged sob.

When he tried getting up, something, maybe a hand, that felt far too hot shoved him back down easily. A fire blazed to life in a brazier revealing a, just as obviously, ragged Loki - the black-hair tangled and crusted with dried blood, the pale skin turned ashen and those eyes were sunken, their life nearly gone - bound in chains to the jagged brown-black stone wall. Stood over his brother was one of the Eldjotnar like all its kin it had orange-red skin and emerald-green eyes, unlike the one that held him this one's eyes were almost black-green and it stood ten feet tall.

It looked down from Loki at him, its voice rumbling like an open forge, "Nice of you to come and visit us, Thunder God. Just in time for some entertainment as well, isn't that nice of us ?"

"Let him go ! Let him go or I swear that I will kill you !"

"Me ? You think that you a not even two thousand year old **boy** can kill me ? Surtr Logison, Surtr the First ? Oldest of all the kin ?" Surtr laughed, snapping his fingers before a white-hot flame appeared in his palm. "Shall we see how long how it takes to burn a little Lopt ?"

"Someone who actually just might be more arrogant than I am, a miracle if ever I have seen one. Can you prove it ? I mean, at the very least, **I** can back up my claims. **Can** you burn the air ?"

That made him snarl, "Loki, shut up !", and he jerked his head back into the eldjotun's throat. The eldjotun growled at him, its grip tightened before a sharp crack and pain lanced through his shoulder-blade. _'Where is Mjolnir ? Come here, boy, here Mjolnir. Come here, now !'_

Loki laughed as Surtr's now flame-covered hand landed on his chest, "Did you get weak in your old age, Surtr ? Because this, it doesn't even hurt."

Surtr snarled and the flames grew, quickly, consuming his silent brother. His own screams echoed in his ears as rain pelted him even more than it normally did. Dazedly, he opened his eyes to see Mother and Father looking down at him. "Father, what is it ?"

Father ran a hand over his white beard, "Apart from the fact that you destroyed your bedchamber's wall, not much has changed since you got back. Nearly everyone on Asgard, Vanaheim, Alfheim and Jotunheim are looking for Loki. Still they have found not even the merest trace of him. If whoever took him does want a ransom like yourself and Prince Grundsol suggested they haven't sent a messenger yet."

Thought back to how himself and Grundsol had come to that suggestion.

**Flashback**

He stared at the moving image of Loki in the orb, he could see by faintest tightening of his brother's lips, the way his walk was even more graceful than normal, that Loki was annoyed at something. Golden and emerald robes shone in the giant hallway's torch-light, equally green-eyes looking utterly bored. That was when Loki's fingers twitched slightly, reaching for a dagger that wasn't there. Then, then, Loki just vanished from sight and the orb went blank until Grundsol appeared.

Slammed a fist on the table, "How, Grundsol ? How can he just **vanish** ? Some damned magic is at work here."

The black-haired alf-prince raised a pale-hand to touch the orb, "What if they want to ransom him for something ? We can check his room to see if anything is missing from it."

Annoyed at himself for not thinking of it, he turned and walked out of the room. Maurr asked, "You found nothing then ?"

"Yes, we found not a single thing. Maurr, why did you let me in ?"

Maurr sighed, "Two millenia ago, my sister disappeared and despite how hard we looked, we never found her. I pray the Norns that you have more luck with finding your brother than I with my sister."

"Perhaps when Loki is found, your sister will be found as well."

It took himself and Grundsol a while to find Loki's room, but when he entered he noticed one thing out of place - the blanket. _'Unless he's stressed or some such, he_ _ **always**_ _makes his bed perfectly and he's so strict about it staying that way. I should know seeing that I got woken up many times so that he could do such.'_

**Flashback**

A grunt left him as he crashed to the floor, "You cannot always sleep until aptann, Thor, it's unbefitting of a prince, especially, when said prince is a Prince of Asgard."

His eyes roamed up from the bare-foot to the slimly muscled calves and thighs, "Why should I when the view is much better from down here ?"

Loki stepped over him, "Simply because brother, just as I, you have duties and unlike you I wish to promptly **complete** said duties, so that I am free to train with Mother."

Picked himself up to press his lips against the side of Loki's thigh, "I would have things to complete before my duties."

The smaller Asgardian answered, "Unfortunately, I happen to be pre-occupied at the moment.", as he pulled the blanket off the bed before laying it down and smoothing it. "There, just perfect."

Slid his lips along the taut thigh, reaching up to stroke a hand over the pale hip, and murmured, " **Not** perfect."

"Why is that, Thor ?"

"It doesn't have you in it, Loki. Hm, still here I thought that satsifaction wasn't in your nature with the way you went at me last night."

Loki turned to lean against the bed, smirking down at him, as the green-eyes glowed in said satsifaction, "It also is not supposed to be in your nature to surrender. Which you did, oh, did you ever, and so beautifully too. Just begging me to take you. Let me re-phrase, you surrendered last night, you will now because that bed is made and it will **not** have to be remade until tomorrow."

**End Flashback**

He walked up to the bed to smooth the blanket, then look around. Everything else looked in place, until he wandered to the bathing chamber. There were two full bottles of the clear potion stood beside the basin when there should only have been one.

_'Did they find someway to force him to skip it ? Is that why he looked so annoyed on the orb ? That someone managed to outsmart him ?'_

**End Flashback**

Very slowly, he tilted his head back to see the wall was nearly completely gone, the remaining bit of wall had ragged edges. _'Still ? I returned hours ago and Loki has been gone for two days now. What is going on ? Wait, how did I destroy my wall ?'_

Mother answered, "According to Einherjar Olaf, Mjolnir burst out of the bottom of your bedchamber wall."

News such as that was enough to make him stare. _'I didn't think that I actually tried to summon Mjolnir in my nightmare. Yet, apparently, I, in fact, did summon it and with my not being awake to catch it, Mjolnir smashed a hole in my wall.'_

If it weren't on the heels of definite kidnapping and possible ransom, it would have been hilarious it was something that Loki would have illusioned him doing. His heart twinged painfully and he closed his eyes, wishing that Loki would come back as easily as Mjolnir always did.


	8. Laufey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm combining Marvel mythos and actual Norse mythos, now, some names and things are completely invented from Old Norse, just me or both.
> 
> Translations: Naeriss - 'Near/close to ice', Grima - 'Mask'

Loki wondered, "Is Laufey always so...charmingly abrasive, Hailfalla ?", as he sat up.

Hailfalla's eye-ridges raised and he laughed, "His Majesty ? That was some of his most pleasant conversation in months according to my father, Royal Gaurd Hailsturm. You're lucky, my Prince, that you are who you are or else he would have ordered Helblindi to break your arm for even trying to hit him. He does love you, it's just that you look like one of **them** now, and he's hostile always to those he doesn't know for the first while. My father said that he spent weeks looking for you thinking that Odin would have left you somewhere for the amattrkvikvendi to eat. At least, until one of your fa-, ah, His Majesty's friends on Alfheim said that there was a child who looked like his son would have on Asgard. He never told Her Majesty before a few days ago because he didn't want to get her hopes up if you were just the witch's illusion."

 _'Terrible-creature ? I don't like the sound of that beast, it sounds like a bilgesnipe. I_ _**hate** _ _bilgesnipes, that idiotic one that tried to kill Thor. Maybe Laufey isn't quite as bad as Father made him sound to be if he wanted to protect Frabauti, if isn't some sort of cover-up of a sort.'_

Swung himself off the bed and answered with a growl, "That 'witch' is my mother, thank-you, Hailfalla. If Laufey wishes to be hostile let him unless he tries to attack me for not looking 'how I should'. Nearly everyone on Asgard has said the same, so why not here as well after I get kidnapped.", and started towards the door and the jotun.

Hailfalla's hands clenched into fists and his voice was an outraged hiss, "How can they **dare** ? Myself I could see, but you, you are a **Prince** , not one of the common-folk. His Majesty would have killed them for insulting you. I apologize for saying such, it should go without much saying that Asgardians are not held in high favour here like everywhere else in the Nine Realms. Did you wish to see the rest of the castle, my Prince ?"

 _'I cannot believe that I am going to actually say this, but...'_ , "My name is Loki and you will adress me as such and assuredly **not** as my Prince, unless others are near. Is that acceptable ?"

"Clear ice, uh, err, that is yes, m-Loki."

His lips twitched into the faintest of smiles, "Good, now lead the way, O' Hailfalla."

The silver kilted Hailfalla led him out of his room into the glittering hallways and past an enormous dining hall whose opaque doors were closed. Apparently, Hailfalla wanted to show him the outside before anywhere else. Just like in Father's stories Jotunheim was covered in snow and ice, the sky in dark-grey and white clouds. _'Father said that Jotunheim was nearly unbearably cold, but...I don't feel a thing. I-it just hasn't registered yet, that's all it is. It will yet, it must, it has to !'_

Across the thick, clear ice, draw-bridge were houses made of opaque ice and giant stones, beyond the village was the wild majesty of Jotunheim - enormous mountains in the distance in front of which stretched snow-fields as far as the eye could see. Apparently, there were also endless chasms both in plain sight and hidden beneath the ice, along with iced over oceans who's waters were like poison.

Hailfalla said, "Do you see that one, the closest one to the bridge ?"

He nodded as he saw the twenty foot tall house, its door made of glittering black-granite with a great arch of twisting and curving ice made like a dragon in front of the door, "Yes and what of it ?"

Hailsturm's son replied, "That's **my** house, well, my Father's house, but you know what I mean I'm sure."

They walked across the bridge towards it, "It's not what I am used to seeing, but it must have taken quite the skilled jotun to make it, like how you repaired the wall earlier."

Hailfalla blushed and scuffed his barefoot into the snow, "That was nothing, I was merely doing my job, Loki. Unlike Father and Mother I am not good at fighting with ice-weapons or any weapons and everyone knows such."

A chunk of ice smashed into the side of Hailfalla's head and a voice said, "Yes, we do and now you're showing around a freak. How disappointed thy father must be with thee, O' Hailfail.", as a group of equally young-looking male Jotnar, three of them and all of around seven feet tall, walked up.

"Shut up, Naeriss, Asgardianmunueth, more like it."

The lead jotun, who, wore a grey-furred kilt and was just over seven feet, Naeriss laughed, "Well, what surprises the day brings. Little Hailfail just called me an Asgardian-fucker, can you believe that Grima ?"

Grima replied, "I think Hailfail and the freak need a lesson in humility.", and stepped forward to stand in front of him.

Oh, how he loved his little illusions and implanting one in their minds, he moved to stand behind Naeriss, speaking through the illusion, "You display very unwarrior-like behaviour by throwing an ice block at Hailfalla's head and then dare to say that **I** need a lesson in humility ? There will be a lesson learned, but it will not be yours."

Grima launched himself at the illusion crashing through it onto the bridge, "Son of an Asgardian ! I'll kill you little freak !"

Listened as the statement made the nine-feet tall, spear-wielding, bridge-guards start towards them and he stepped around Naeriss to lift a hand, "Let him see if he can kill me, it will be interesting."

At his gesture the guards halted half-way across the bridge looking uncertain. Naeriss turned around to look at him and sneered, "You're just a little, **Asgardian** , magic freak. What can you do to me ?"

He smiled remembering what he'd done to Helblindi and punched Naeriss, who went flying over Grima to crash into the bridge-guards.

Grima got up, rushing at him as the jotun's arm was coated in ice turning it into a sword. _'If he's anything like Thor, this will be easy.'_ As Grima swung he slid under the sword, grabbing the tip and breaking it off, and kept sliding through Grima's legs. When he stopped, he rose and turning threw the piece of sharp, thin ice into Grima's right shoulder.

Did it surprise him when Grima roared at him ? No, and he side-stepped as he was again rushed at. As Grima passed him, he willed the ice shard deeper into Grima's shoulder causing another roar this one, more, pained as the jotun fell to the ground.

The one who hadn't been introduced started circling him, just for a challenge he let the jotun hit him and they rolled into the snow. Gripped the jotun, before throwing him over and pinning the jotun's wrists in one hand. Leaned down to glare and hissed, "I already took that Grima out, you won't be any harder." _'H-how can this be ? Th-they don't know illusions, but that means that potion_ _ **really was**_ _\- Mother knew a-and she never told me. She never told me, how could she not tell me ?'_

He'd blinked and stared in more than a little fear as he watched the color, what little he had, in his hand fade into a pale-blue/whitish-blue shade like Hailfalla and the others was. Still, despite his own fear, it was rather amusing to watch the jotun's face turn terrified as he was stared at.

A spluttered, "Y-you...you're-"

Laufey's voice came from behind him, "He is Yfirloki Laufeyson, **my** son. And I ? I am Laufey the son of Bergelmir, thus was Bergelmir son of Thrudgelmir, who was himself son of Great Ymir. By blood and dearest Authumbla, Yfirloki is Prince of Jotunheim. So, tell me, boy, who are **you** to touch my son ? Authumblajarson ? She never mothered any children of her own.", then he was being pulled off the jotun, barely noticing it except dimly.

Despite his shock, he managed to think, _'Authumbla ? The giant cow Authumbla who fed Great-great grandfather Buri after freeing him from ice ? Well, that sheds a new light on Thor's sometimes, ah, quirk shall I call it ?'_

More voices, some shouting and then movement. He sensed that he was carried past more glittering walls and through doors.

 Laufey began talking in an understanding whisper, "I know it is plenty to take in as you so staunchly refused to believe me earlier, but I cannot blame you, nor even, though I wish to, can I blame Odin. The only ones I can blame are myself for thinking the mere fact you were my son would keep a jealous jotun from taking you, for not having enough guards and the bastard that kidnapped you in the first place. Your Great-Grandfather Thrudgelmir would be so very disappointed in me, never mind Great-grandfather Ymir. Family was everything to Great-grandfather Ymir. I know not what reason Odin gave you for the Jotunheim-Asgard War, if he gave you any, but the reason **I** went to war ? I wanted you to know more than just Jotunheim and Niflheim, more than two Worlds on which Frabauti and yourself would be truly safe. The Midgardians are so much weaker than us, they wouldn't have been threats to any of us, of course, Odin and those damned einherjar had to appear to thwart us. They didn't ask why we were there, they just wanted to kill us. Then not only did that theif steal Ymir's Casket, but he stole **you** as well. Stole my son from me when I **never** would have dreamed of stealing his brat from him."

On instinct, he lifted his head from the pillow looking into Laufey's blood-red eyes and retorted, "Thor is not a brat, he's a Prince of Asgard."

Laufey wrinkled his nose briefly and then said, "They are the same thing."

" **I** am a Prince of Asgard."

"No, you were the Prince of Jotunheim disgused as a Prince of Asgard. While I too was smaller than my father liked I was nowhere near your smallness and I had to keep my throne not by strength when someone tried to usurp it, but by wits. Already, I know you are far smarter than the Odinson."

He couldn't help, but snort at that fact and his voice echoed oddly in his ears, "Everyone knows that he is more brawn than brain, just as they know I am the smarter. That is why they ignored me in favour of him because they understand him better."

His last thoughts before some, different in pitch, and yet, incredibly familiar music filled the room were, _'Father I could see as we hardly got along, b-but Mother ? Norns, please, please, just let this day be_ _ **over**_ _!'_ The Norns must have listened to him because they sent him to sleep seconds later.


	9. Cow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation: Dragur - 'Ghost, undead men'

Thor landed outside an oak tree surrounded, golden-grassed field, rehooked Mjolnir onto his belt and sank to sit on the grass. Father had forbidden him from going to Muspelheim, so he'd been confined to searching Alfheim with Grundsol without luck.

**Flashback**

Finally, he couldn't stand the frustration and kicked the yew tree a few times. Demanded of Grundsol, "How can he not see that Surtr is behind this ?"

"Surtr hasn't been to Asgard since your Great-great Grandfather Buri's time. It's not like he would have a solid reason to go to war with Asgard. Odin just wants to keep Asgard safe."

"Father's a coward ! Surtr has something to do with it, Grundsol or at the least, he must know something. Loki could be being tortured right now for all we know. We need to find out what could make the orb miss seeing Loki and his kidnappers."

Grundsol put a hand on his shoulder, the alf-prince's answer was compassionate, "I will see if I can something in my library. Meanwhile you should go home, Thor, you've been here since just after you got up that's four hours. Queen Frigga is already missing Loki, she shouldn't have to miss you too, even if you are looking for him."

Reluctantly, he'd agreed to go home, but when he got out of the Bifrost he didn't think he could handle the look of disappointment on Mother's face.

**End Flashback**

He looked up at the bright blue, cloudless sky, wondering if just maybe Loki could have found a way to escape from where ever he was. After all, if anyone could escape from nearly anything it would be Loki. That thought cheered him briefly then one of the cows lowed and a little black calf ran over to suckle. Its mother was also black, which made him laugh as he remembered years ago how he'd fallen off a bed because of Loki for the first time.

**Flashback**

There was a hiss from the other side of the door, followed by Loki's annoyed, "Why are you trying to bite me ?"

_'Bite him ? Whoever would be trying to bite him ?'_

Quickly, he opened the door, not really knowing what to expect, but not expecting what he saw...Loki sat on the floor with a little black cow.

"Loki, what are you doing with a cow ?"

"Can ever you figure how to knock, brother ? I could have been doing a thousand very different things."

_'Why would that matter ? Any ways, he doesn't have enough arms or such.'_

His gaze drifted to the ash bookshelf that was protected by magic from the rain, "Not at once you couldn't." Before his gaze went back to Loki who gave a sigh like he had missed something as he walked over to look at the cow and his brother. It was hard to tell where the cow began and Loki ended as the black-hair was nearly invisible against the black under-tunic and the cow's fur.

Loki's eyes glowed with little darker and lighter specks, like an actual gem, in the sun as he looked up, still annoyed his brother answered, "It is most assuredly not a cow. A cow is fully grown, this is a suckling calf, Thor, suck-ling, say it."

Resisted an urge to blush at the, "Suck.", in suckling, an urge that hadn't happened before. _'Why does it sound odd coming from him, yet Sif can say such things and not sound such ?'_

He couldn't help laughing as he repeated it causing the black-hair to sway as Loki shook his head then stated, "You are so very immature."

"One of us has to be when you're not playing tricks."

An eye-roll and then Loki continued with a probably unconscious smile, "I found him earlier when you were waking the dragur with your snoring." Back to serious, "His mother was killed by wolves and now he's trying to bite me."

_'How can he miss it ? It should have been the first thought to come into his head.'_

Slowly, he sat down on the dark-silver blanketed bed, scratching at his beard as he wondered, "Don't you think that he might be hungry ? Maybe the wolves killed his mother before he could feed."

Watched a pale hand rise to stroke the calf's head as a faintly surprised look passed over that face. Yet, the reply was an unsurprised statement, "No, I did not, mayhaps you are good for something after all, brother. Still, I can't get milk from the kitchen, Eorl would notice it's missing far too easily. Nor can I simply go ask one of the peasant ladies for some."

_'Really ? He doesn't notice how they look at him ? They would be very willing me thinks, seeing he would have to touch them to accept it.'_

"Why not ?"

"It is beneath me."

"Well, you're a shape-shifter so why do you not just be a cow for a few mintes ? Then he can feed and you won't have to worry about him for a few hours."

A few seconds later Loki...was being a cow and the calf was sniffing him/her/him ? Loki's new tail lashed and flicked briefly as the calf found a nipple and started sucking. Found himself staring, as some of the milk from a different one landed on the floor, oddly thirsty and then he overbalanced and fell off Loki's bed.

 _'Why do I want some ? Because he's being a cow, but it's Loki. It's milk. It's Loki. He's a cow. He's my brother ! That doesn't matter because it's_ _ **Loki milk**_ _!'_ He burst out laughing at his conscience's last statement. At his outburst, Loki's head swung to look down at him like he was mad and those eyes were still emerald-green. That was when his conscience continued, _'It is milk that just happens to be coming out of Loki's nipples, if it was some other cow you wouldn't care. That calf is taunting you with it, just look at the greedy little thing. He's standing there sucking every drop he can out of that nipple.'_

Said calf was not just doing that, but was also giving him a look-at-me-I'm-superior-look that made him want to get up and punch the calf. That was when Loki stepped away from the calf and returned to his Asgardian-form. The calf blinked down at him innocently before he climbed to his feet.

Loki grimaced and pulled off his under-tunic and he couldn't help staring, again. It was because this time while Loki's right nipple was still perfect and pink, his left nipple was swollen and red.

A growled, "I am never listening to you again, Thor. One raw nipple is more than I needed from a stupid cow. I would say that it's a stupid calf, but a stupid cow just sounds better.", then Loki stalked towards his bathing chamber.

**End Flashback**

Fandral asked, "I see you still haven't found him either ?"

He startled, instinctively reaching for Loki's dagger, only to look up at the ligher-blond Asgardian. Of all their friends, Fandral was the only one that hadn't always been tense with Loki, even before Loki had saved his life. Ran a hand through his hair as he answered, "I have not and I assume no one else has either, then ?"

Fandral sat beside him, a headshake followed by, "I'm afraid not. And even though she was 'searching' too, Sif was being very rude and saying she was glad that Loki is gone."

Pulled out Loki's dagger and started flipping it again, the blade reflected the sun's light off the dagger's crest, shadows filling and leaving the wind-swirl. "How can she say such a thing ?! She is his friend as well."

"Ah, but they have never gotten along. They were even more at each others throats than when Volstagg was adamant about Loki's being too small to train with a spear of all things."

A smile came to his lips as he remembered something and retorted, "Yes, but he managed to change Volstagg's mind by beating him in a sparring match. If Loki and Sif ever fought I fear Sif would have ended up dead."

"We'll get to see it yet if Loki has anything to say about it, I'm sure. Maybe now we can finally persuade Odin to let us go to Muspelheim."

"Perhaps." When he finished his answer, he sheathed Loki's dagger and looked from his friend to see that the calf had wandered away. _'Maybe its a descendant of the one that Loki saved. Maybe it told its calves a tale about the strange Asgardian that turned into a cow and fed it, then they told their calves and so on - I like that idea.'_


	10. Cannibal

Loki followed after Laufey into the nursery, the only thing in the room was a simple, four feet long, crib made of crystal clear ice. Laufey walked up to the crib and he couldn't keep his hands from shaking as when Laufey turned around he saw two halves of a giant ruby in the King of Jotunheim's hands. There was something familiar about that ruby, so very familiar and he reached out to trail a finger over the jagged edges of the right side.

**Flashback**

Slowly, he raised the piece of ruby to gnaw on a corner, giggling, when he saw himself in it. The door opened and he rolled over to see if it was Mother or Father. It wasn't either of them, it was an eight-foot tall jotun with strange pink-eyes and wearing a very ragged silver kilt.

The stranger moved to stand over the crib to look down at him, "You're coming with me."

Scared and in pain, he let out a sharp wail as Pink-eyes picked him up far too tightly. An angry murmur, "Shut up, you stupid brat ! You're small, but you'll still make a good snack. Now let go of that."

Did his best to growl when Pink-eyes tried to pry the ruby away from him. In response, Pink-eyes slapped him before taking and throwing the ruby into the crib, a cracking sound followed. His own response ? To try and bite Pink-eyes's giant finger as it passed over his head. A snarl, then he was being shoved into a giant black fur bag that smelled sour.

**End Flashback**

He jerked his hand off the ruby to look about the eleven foot tall, glittering and cannibal-free room in relief. _'He would have eaten me ? Obviously, it did not work as he planned, but how then did I get to Asgard ? Did Father intercept him, only to end up unintentionally kidnapping me when he was saving me from Pink-eyes because he thought I was an orphan ? Well, life in Asgard was better than no life at all !'_

Laufey looked concerned as he closed his hand over the ruby, "Why do you look so startled ?"

"Apparently, he wanted me for a snack."

"Eat you ? Why ever would someone want to eat you ?"

That rare immature thought appeared in his head, _'You might want to ask Thor that question since he likes to eat, and sometimes drink from, me so much.'_

It made him answer, "What do they not have cannibals in Jotunheim ? For some reason cannibals seem to like me. So first there was Pink-eyes and then there was the one in Asgard that also went after me."

"There is nothing in your Great-great Grandfather Ymir's writings of eating our own kind, only the animals. Jotunheim is far more dangerous than Asgard, Jotnar go missing everyday because of the ice splitting and falling into chasms or if they go to the oceans drowning when the ice closes over them. Likely, some of them ended up this cannibal's victims. We must find a way to track down this 'Pink-eyes' and put an end to his hot-blooded habit."

That made him raise his eyebrows and the words, "Shouldn't that be 'cold-blooded' ?", left his lips before he could stop them.

Laufey shook his head, "No, you will notice now things that felt normal to you while you took those binding herbs will be hotter. While the things that felt cold to you before will now feel like a normal tempurature and only the extremest of colds will touch you. Though, incredibly hot tempuratures will weaken you now because we need water to make our ice and without access to our magic we will overheat and die. So, it is essential to keep yourself as cool as possible whenever you leave."

_'How can I leave when there is a monster on the loose ? I am not going to leave Hailfalla defenseless if Pink-eyes is still alive and manages to find him.'_

Still, those words about ice magic made him curious and unconsciously, he looked at his new skin color. Yes it would take him a while to get used to seeing his new blue-bluish/white skin, but surely learning ice magic would help him acclimatize to the idea of being a jotun. _'If I learned how to make ice magic, maybe I could finally help Thor with putting out those few forest fires at home. Sif would not be able to deride me as useless then either.'_

He nodded, "I will make sure of that. Do you think that, perhaps, you might teach me about the ice magic...Father ?"

Laufey walked past him with the short answer of, "We can start right now, if you wish. Also, I will teach you so that if you plan on touching anyone who is not one of us, you will know how to control it."

Again, he turned and followed Laufey out of the nursery, pulling the door shut behind him, before asking, "Yes, I would like that, but simply for curiosity's sake why must I need to control it to touch another ?"

"It is simple, my son, because otherwise you will unconsciously try to lower their body heat so that it's safe for you to touch them." It was finished with a sheet of frost sweeping to coat the walls on either side of them; also, it was only because he was now barefoot and Jotnar were heavier than Asgardians that he didn't fall because of surprise. "If you know how to control it you are able to make sure that neither you nor the one you touch end up being uncomfortable."

_'I see Father and Laufey have at least one thing in common then - explaining things while sounding incredibly dramatic about it. No, Father is far worse about it than is Laufey. Father would have gone about the cannibal speech like a pig about to be roasted alive.'_

The silver-clad guards of Jotunheim were far more respectful to him than those of Asgard, they didn't just nod in acknowledgement, they actually bowed, which the Asgardian guards only did when Thor was with him. Many hallways twisted and turned as he followed Laufey and with everything being made of glittering ice it was far easier to get disoriented here then it was in Asgard.

_'How do they manage to change the ice's color like that ? Blue, black and golden like that 'tapestry' of ice. Are their eyes actually made of garnets or is it more ice ?'_

Said tapestry was of, as Laufey explained, Ymir in armour made of darker-blue ice and Buri in golden armour introducing their sons to each other - Buri stood beside his brown-haired son Bor and Ymir with his sons black-haired Thrudgelmir and bald, six-headed Bergloki.

Laufey threw open the back entrance hall's double-doors to reveal a slightly raised circle of barren ice. It was surrounded about twenty feet back by a thicker, circular, wall of dark-golden ice. _'Now there is no one to tell me that I am too small to train.'_


	11. Permission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations: Fljotr - 'Swift', Sveimun - 'Soaring', Skina - 'Shine', Syna - 'Show'

Thor looked about himself, beside him stood Grundsol and Fandral and around them everything was made of reddish-brown or black rock - the arches, bridges and buildings - while lava flowed under the bridges and in channeled streams around them. The very air was heavy with steam and heat that obsured his vision to a blur after five feet.

They walked along one of the bridges towards the even from far off and high up, enormous black blur that was the volcanic palace of Muspelheim. Father had only reluctantly let them come here, only because it seemed that Surtr could indeed have knowledge of Loki's kidnapping.

**Flashback**

It was almost impossible to keep still and not fidget. Why ? Because while King Sol had given his approval to Grundsol earlier, he was anxious as he looked up because Father's only working eye his left, because Father's right was destroyed by Laufey, was currently emotionally blank.

The ravens, Huginn and Muninn or 'thought' and 'memory', flew in along the golden columned aisle from the right side of the room. Then they swept in to rest on Father's golden-armoured shoulders as Grundsol bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I was looking in my family's library for spells that could block magic from the seeing of itself. What I found is in this circumstance...potentially disturbing besides Asgard, Muspelheim is the only World capable of making illusions. They do so using a spell called Hyrraetla or 'fire-thinking' that if used by a strong enough eldjotun could block the orbs from seeing who kidnapped Loki. Does this not prove that Surtr might know something ?"

Father shifted and his spear Gungnir tapped the golden throne he sat on. Clenched his fists and refused the urge to shift or make some sort of sound to release his tension.

Very slowly a hand ran over the long, white-beard as Father thought it over, what seemed forever later, the answer came, "Long has thy father King Sol let us use his library when we knew not where else to turn and always it's information has proven correct, Prince Grundsol. Still, Surtr Forn is a very dangerous enemy even without being angered and if you anger him it could lead to war with Asgard and Alfheim."

That answer made him want to shout, _'I don't care if it makes Surtr angry, Father, I just want to find Loki !'_

Father grimaced, his single blue-eye pained, but resigned as he continued, "Thor, I have already lost one son and I do not wish to lose you as well, but if it will help to find Loki then I cannot deny your request knowing that it may cost his life. For his sake, I pray that Surtr does in fact hold important information, or you will have wasted precious time on nothing. Now, begone from me, return swiftly and with great tidings."

His sigh of relief seemed to be especially loud in the silence of the gigantic, indoor throne room. Tried not to bow to quickly as he replied, "Thank thee, Allfather, for allowing this request. I swear that we will return as swiftly as Huginn does." Before he turned and started back along the dark-red carpet towards the exit.

When he and Grundsol had gotten into the torch-lit hallway, he heard Father's voice echo as the King of Asgard wondered to Huginn and Muninn, "Would this have happened had I listened to Loki and sent Olaf in his place ? For the matter why did I not go myself ? Why did I not let him take guards or at the least weapons ? Once again, your father has failed you, Loki."

The alf-prince had obviously pretended not to hear Father's questions as he asked, "Is Fandral waiting somewhere for us, Thor ?"

"Yes, he's waiting outside the stables, and though it would help us, we can't bring the horses with us to Muspelheim because the heat would kill them."

White-silver eyes glowed in relief, like Loki did, Grundsol had a soft spot for horses. All three of them had even ridden their first ponies together or he'd tried, it hadn't worked out that well.

**Flashback**

He yelped as Fljotr threw him off, he crashed into the dirt and glared at the pony. Not scared in the least, the white-furred pony pranced away from him. His pony walked over to Grundsol's roan, Skina, and sniffed her. While Sveimun and Loki who'd been behind Grundsol swerved sharply right to avoid ramming the alf and ponies.

Loki grabbed onto Fljotr's reins and led him back, a scolding, "You're not supposed to throw people, Fljotr, Mother says its very rude !"

Brown-furred Sveimun glared at Fljotr who whickered in seeming apology, before pushing his nose into Loki's face. Couldn't help that he burst into laughter at the face that Loki pulled as he pushed the pony away.

Again, he got on the white-pony and finally made it around the ring before being thrown off, again.

**End Flashback**

Slowly, he realized that he and Grundsol had entered the stables. Fljotr whinned and moved up to pressed against the stall-door. Meanwhile, Sveimun's ears flicked back and forth waiting like all the past week of the peace-accords for Loki to appear. So, in total it was about eight days since Sveimun had seen his master and today was the fourth day of Loki's kidnapping.

Fandral, who stood by his grey horse, asked, "Do we have permission ?"

Walked up to rub Sveimun's forelock as he replied, "Aye, we do."

As Grundsol climbed on Skina, Sveimun reared and his dark-eyes were distressed.

Reluctantly, he moved away before unlocking Fljotr's stall and getting on Fljotr as Fandral mounted Syna.

The lighter-blond Asgardian nodded, stating, "Well, let's go then, we can't waste time."

It took them mere minutes to reach Heimdall and the Bifrost, to dismount and walk inside the tunnel before they appeared in the red-brown haze of Muspelheim.

**End Flashback**

He stopped and Grundsol stopped, while Fandral did as well, but also fiddled with his foil as three eldjotnar approached them. His dream of Surtr and Loki came back as he eyed the seven-foot tall, orange-red skinned and emerald-eyed fire-giants, they wore onyx armour to attract more heat.

One of the eldjotnar, "What business doth a Prince of Asgard, the Prince of Alfheim and a servant have in Muspelheim ?"

It was himself who replied, "We wisheth to speak with His Majesty of a most important matter. Will thee alloweth us passage ?"

_'It would be easier had it been I who was kidnapped instead as Loki is much better truly than I at making requests and pleasantries. If we even get that close to Surtr.'_

Two emotions fought in his mind when they were being escorted to the palace's ruby and diamond encrusted onyx-doors - surprise and wariness - at the ease of it.


	12. Casket

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A weregild was a price paid, or item given, so that there wouldn't be a feud between families.
> 
> Translations: Ennsturm - 'Still storm', ekkikvikivendi - 'Not creatures'

Loki snarled, "How am I supposed to be stronger when I cannot even make one **tiny** piece of ice appear ?! Simply pathetic, if I can't make one how am I supposed to perfect it ?", and stepped down from the circle to stalk over and punched the golden-ice wall, which made a five foot deep crack appear.

Beside him the doors swung open with the faintest scraping and Frabauti's voice answered, "This is not like Asgardian magic where it works best if done calmly. When the children learn they are taught by instinct and emotion first, and only after that to wield the ice when they are calm. You never learned such, so it is slightly harder for you. If still we had Ymir's Casket or as you know it the Casket of Ancient Winters, which contains Ymir's powers - it would help you."

 _'The Casket of Ancient Winters ? Father has that in the vault. When I asked where he got it from he said it was given to him, but if what Laufey said is true...Father_ _**stole** _ _it !'_

He turned to look at Frabauti as she walked up to look down at him. She wore a thin, white-scaled robe and on a thin, golden chain around her neck hung a smaller, third fragment of the ruby.

"If it would help me and as it is yours, why have you not tried to get it back ? Surely you could have sent Byleistr or someone like Hailsturm to retrieve it before the ban was put into place."

Laufey answered from on the platform, his tone slightly condescending, "We were too busy looking for you to care about the Casket. After I was told about you're being in Asgard, the plans I had made started to scare me. I was scared that if I tried to retreive it and you were indeed my Yfirloki that Odin would imprison or kill you. I was scared that he would do it just to keep Ymir's Casket from us. Even though he had, and has, no use for it."

Slowly, he turned to look down from Frabauti to Laufey and wondered, "Why then would he steal it if he has no use for it ?"

His question got a snarl from Laufey, "Odin knew it was not only our most honoured relic, but also our greatest weapon. He was scared of us and so, he stole not only our symbolic power, but the center of our whole World. Almost I wanted to ask Surtr to help us then, but he can change allegiances quickly when it suits him. That is why I was wary when I approached him for help in getting close to you."

_'Father too said that Surtr was unpredicatible, that we were to avoid going to Muspelheim for aid unless it was most dire. I suppose now that is why we were told such.'_

Above them the grey and white clouds parted, golden shadows flitted over the training arena before disappearing. The shadows gave him an idea, "Why do I not just sneak us inside the vault ? I know ways into and out of Asgard that not even Heimdall does and I can mask our presences from him."

Frabauti in turn wondered, "Why do you want to get it back ?"

"It is not a weregild from you to him, and more over Father stole it ! Father broke Ymir and Buri's friendship, the Casket belongs to us by **blood** and I say that we reclaim it ! He should know by now that actions have consequences." As he finished speaking, he noticed the white ice crawling up the golden wall and looked down, the ice was indeed spreading from his barefeet.

As she too had noticed the ice, Frabauti laughed, "Perhaps you don't need Ymir's Casket after all. Now, what say you, Laufey ?"

"I will have Hailsturm and Ennsturm accompany Loki to Asgard whenever he is ready."

"Tomorrow I would go as today I would pratice my ice."

Laufey nodded, then said, "Good, I have something for you when we are done."

_'For me ? Besides the books from Mother, that gorgeous emerald and onyx carving of a song-bird from Thor and the first of my throwing knives from Father ever hardly have I gotten gifts. Well, besides that ring from King Eitri that Father said he would keep for me as it was too big at the time.'_

**Flashback**

He startled into Thor's side as far behind them one of the great forges clanged loudly as something was taken out. Far as he was concerned there were far less torches than there should have been, it looked like ekkikvikvendi would come out of the shadows and drag them into the sandy walls. Father said the ekkikvikvendi were the ghosts of the Svartalfar, the Dark-elves, who wanted revenge for their defeat at the hands of Grandfather Bor and Asgard long ago.

In front of them was a great empty room in the center of which stood a tan-skinned, black-haired and bearded dwarf in a red-leather smithing apron and gloves. The dwarf called, "Heill Odin, boys.", as they entered the room.

When he looked up there were great swirls of gold in the now dark-red rock ceiling, it was beautiful. A second later, he heard himself whisper, "Isn't it pretty, Thor ?"

"What ?"

"Look up at the rocks there's gold in them."

A shrug from Thor, followed by the bland response of, "I suppose." The next words more excited, "But look, Loki, he's got a short sword."

It disappointed him that Thor couldn't appreciate it too, _'If friend Grundsol were here_ _ **he**_ _would appreciate it. So, the dwarf's short sword has some gilt on its hilt, Gungnir is_ _ **made**_ _of gold. You don't find natural gold in cave ceilings that often.'_

The dwarf chuckled, "Well, someone can appreciate nature's beauty. It's too bad you were born an Asgardian, you would have made a great dwarf."

Turned to look up at Father who stood behind them, the question leaving him excitedly, "Father, can I be a dwarf ? I want to be a dwarf !"

Father leaned down, his blue-eye bright, the answer almost cheerful, "Well, maybe if you concentrate you can be a dwarf for a second. Go on, try it."

Again, he turned and walked up to look hard at the dwarf, an odd rush like cool air over his skin, then Thor exclaimed, "Father, Loki's gone !"

"I'm not gone, I'm right here." In shock at the voice that definitely wasn't his, he raised a hand to his lips only to feel a bunch of hair around them. Quickly, he decided to concentrate on himself and sighed when he was back to normal.

In response the dwarf laughed again, "Well, Odin it seems that young Master Loki is a shape-shifter. For making my day, I will give you a little gift from Eitri to Loki." That was when the dwarf pulled out a ring made of white metal and set with a ruby dragon and handed it to him.

He laughed as he showed it to Thor, "Look it's got a dragon on it, like the one Mother killed to save Father !"

"It does, see Father ?"

They both turned to look up at Father, who nodded gravely, "So, it does indeed. Shall I keep it for you, Loki ? If you tried to wear it now it would get lost easily."

_'It's so pretty, it can't get lost yet. I have to show Mother and Eorl the Baker, and Eomund Eorlson and...and everyone first. Everyone has to know !'_

So, he handed it slowly to Father, then watched closely as Father put it in his belt pouch for safe-keeping.

**End Flashback**

The training seemed to fly fast as Huginn because one second he was trying to copy F-Laufey's ice circles and the next he stood in his bedroom. Laid out on the bed was a set of black-hide/leather gauntlets, a kilt of the same and resting on top of the clothes ? A knife carved from crystal-clear ice.

Laufey's next words had almost the ring of ceremony to them, "Whether you wish to be called Yfirloki or simply Loki matters not; you are Prince of Jotunheim and that knife is Blodbita, Blood-bite, that was used by Thrudgelmir. Thusly it is a relic of the House of Ymir, handed down from King to Prince and now...it belongs to you."

_'How jealous was I when Father first gave Mjolnir to Thor ? So much that I avoided him for days. Yet, that I should be given all this...I don't know what to say.'_

Without thinking, he moved to hug Laufey and the King of Jotunheim returned it. _'I hope that I have to use it not to get Ymir's Casket.'_


	13. Fire

Thor's gaze as soon as he, Fandral and Grundsol entered Muspelheim's throne room was drawn to Surtr. Muspelheim's King, sat in an oynx and amethyst throne, was nine and a half-feet tall, bald and had green-black eyes just like in the old stories.

Surtr tilted his head, a faintly interested sound leaving his lips before he said, "How mine luck hath changed with many audiences of late. What might I do for thee ?"

While they walked the narrow path of brown-rock in single-file, with himself in front, towards the twenty foot wide circle that held Surtr he looked over the side. Then wished he had not for the drop looked to be about a thousand feet down and lava roiled at the bottom.

_'It is no wonder that hardly he gets visitors with this hot realm under his rule and his reputation. Tyr said before I left for Alfheim that after Grundsol had gone, Aunt Freyr announced that Queen Frabauti's gaurds disappeared too. Did they help Surtr kidnap Loki in someway ? Why did Tyr wait so long to tell me ?'_

After he entered the circle he stopped five feet from the throne, wondering if this would help find Loki after all. As he met the king's cold eyes, he answered, "We send greetings to thee, O' Surtr Forn, from Asgard and Alfheim." Waited for Surtr to nod before he continued, "We wish, ah, wish to know if thee have had dealings with Jotunheim in these past days."

The orange-red skinned giant scowled at him and he realized that he had forgotten the 'court' speech. _''Twas terrible, Thor, this in thine most horridest of formings. That thee hath, but listened to mine own words, for shame, brother. Well, not everyone can have your silver-tongue, Loki.'_ Were Surtr to be behind Loki's kidnapping, and having seen that terrifying scowl, he knew it would be an easy task for Surtr to throw Loki into the pit.

Fandral stepped forward and took over bowing to Surtr before saying, "I beggeth thine most gracious of pardons, Your Majesty. Prince Thor hast been not the master of hisself since his grief of Prince Loki's disappearance hath consumed him utterly."

Surtr got up from his throne, his dark-red robes edged in onyx sweeping the floor as the giant moved to stand over him. "Ah, yes, word hath indeed reached mine ears of thine great plight. Thinketh thee, Prince Thor that I mightest have aided in it ?"

Glee sparked in the King of Muspelheim's eyes and was more than Thor could take. So, he snarled, "Enough court talk ! Surtr, did you or did **not** you aid Jotunheim in kidnapping Loki ?!"

Father's words about Surtr were the only reason he didn't smash the King of Eldjotnar in the face with Mjolnir like he so wanted to do. Fandral looked ready to leap and restrain him, while Grundsol was still as the stone around them preparing some spell to bolster their escape.

Surtr lifted a hand and a small orange flame lit in his palm, as the flame grew to a sphere he unhooked Mjolnir ready to knock the ball of flame away. Black-green eyes reflected that flame as the still growing ball was tossed between Surtr's hands, "I was approached by Queen Frabauti of Jotunheim to help return her long lost son."

 _'That is not possible, Loki was borne two days after me by Mother. Father watched it happen, Loki doesn't look like a jotun and he doesn't have magic like one. Oh ? So, what of when Sandr called Mother a whore, where did that cold wind come from ? And when his skin nearly froze after he stopped breathing from stress and magic build-up ? He was dead, of course, his skin was cold. But, it shouldn't have been ! He was using warm water, it shouldn't have cooled that fast. No, it. Is. Not. Possible. Loki is_ _**not a jotun**_ _, he never has been one. He's my love...and my brother, not my enemy.'_

Locked in deep denial, he backed away from the advancing eldjotun before he turned and fled for the first time in many years. Grundsol, Fandral and himself threw themselves through the double-doors and onto the floor. Just before a gigantic fireball, that he couldn't have redirected, slammed into the wall in front of them.

Grundsol hissed, as they got up and started running, turning down the right hall, "He's crazy, we need to get out of here ! Can the Bifrost reach us, Fandral ?"

"I don't know, but it would be too dangerous any how as there are too many of them."

When two guards appeared in front of them Grundsol muttered, "Close your eyes, **quickly** !", and even with his eyes closed he saw the blinding brilliance of the sun.

He shouldered past the two Eldjotnar who then staggered into the walls. After that they only got into short scuffles as they slammed into walls, ran into guards and servants and then vaulted over the side of the grand entrance's staircase to burst outside. Mere feet later, the Bifrost thundered down around the three of them. The familiar flowing rainbow of colors was a relief to see, something simple that would never change.

Heimdall the dark-skinned, golden-eyed and armoured Bifrost guardian, stated, "You three are very lucky to be alive and what's more without war on your heels.", as they walked into the chamber, before asking, "What did you find out ?"

Fandral panted, "Apparently...Loki is-"

Instead of letting him finish, he cut off Fandral, "Not a jotun ! How could he be a jotun and yet Heimdall knew it not ?"

Grundsol countered, "If it wasn't in Loki's mind for him to read there is no way that Heimdall could have known of it, Thor."

At that point, he glared and for a single moment, wished that he could just electrocute his friends. Before he stomped past Grundsol, Fandral and Heimdall out of the golden, multi-geared, chamber to walk to and mount Fljotr. Before he turned Fljotr and spurred the white-horse forward to gallop along the rainbow bridge. The thoughts of, _'It's not true, it's not true ! Loki's not a monster, he's not.'_ , echoed over and over in his mind.


	14. Wary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations: Laukr - general term for 'plant', Ol - 'Ale' aka beer.

Drunk, Loki glared blurrily at the mug of pale purple jotlaukrol. His voice echoed in the dining hall that was empty, but for Hailfalla, "He hates me, Father lied and Thor hates me !"

Hailfalla shifted his weight, the look on the younger jotun's face very uncomfortable from what he could see. "I'm sure he doesn't mean that, everyone says things they don't mean to when they're angry."

"Don't you dare contr-contradict me ! He didn't say it and he doesn't have to."

So, he started to explain as best he could at the moment, what had happened.

**Flashback**

For the first time since he'd been stripped of his Asgardian lies and illusions, he was again in his most familiar form. The nine and some feet tall Hailsturm rumbled, as he looked down at the unconscious Einherjars Olaf and Erik, "Why cannot we kill them, Prince Yfirloki ?"

Gently, he nudged Olaf's body out of the way, so that he could throw open the golden-doors of the weapons vault. When he had done so, he replied, "We are not here to start a war, we are here to get our property back. The Destroyer is here somewhere, I will distract it and get Ymir's Casket."

Eight-foot tall Ennsturm murmured, "That may be so, but what if it tries to kill you ?"

He didn't answer the question, but walked down the sand-colored steps, looking down the long hallway at the eight-foot tall being that was made of ribbed-silver, with new eyes. _'If it can tell that I know what I am, will Father_ _ **order**_ _it to kill me ? Will Hailsturm and Ennsturm end up fighting to protect me from angry Asgardians ? Thor ? Father lied to him, Jotnar aren't always vicious, blood-thirsty, murderers. They might have different customs - like Ymir worship and abandoning runts for a few days to see if they're strong enough to survive if they're not eaten - but Frabauti and Laufey care about me. Jotnar might not have many uses for fire, but th-we are civilized without it most times.'_

As he approached the Destroyer, he knew that set on the short pedestal behind the Destroyer, backlit by the brown-framed window, would be Ymir's Casket. The ice-casket would be covered in many varieties of black, cracked-ice patterns. Inside it would swirl the white and deep-blue magic of Ymir. Though it hadn't bothered him before, now knowing it was an heirloom of his birth family, it angered him that the casket's beauty was obscured. It was blocked by thick, metal handles that enabled the Asgardians to touch it without being burned by ice-'fire'.

_'At least, I know now why I felt like I was being drawn to it all these years. Why Father always, especially, told me to leave it alone. He didn't want me to find out who I really was. Eitri knew when he gave me that ring, Father probably took it because he didn't want the colors to trigger any memories of Father and Mother.'_

The Destroyer's triangle-like head moved to 'look' at him. Nervous, he edged around the being, eyeing the spear in its hand. When the spear didn't move and it didn't rotate itself and summon the white-hot lava to kill him, yet, he sighed in relief. Still, the handles would be useful to him. First, he brushed his fingers over the top and that impossibly, powerful and now, familiar magic flowed through him with a rush of giddiness; also, the magic was cold enough that he shivered. Ymir's Casket didn't weigh a thing to him now as he picked it up, whereas surely, it would have been impossible for him before.

An echoing crash shook the floor as he moved around the Destroyer to see that Ennsturm was picking himself up as Hailsturm backed towards them. Ennsturm moved to stand by his right side, and his heartbeat thundered in his ears as suddenly Thor stalked down the vault's steps. _'It's too bad he doesn't look at all happy to see us. I wanted to introduce him to Mother since she knew Bor.'_

Thor's voice, normally as warm as it was deep, was shockingly cold, "What do you think you're doing, Jotnar ?"

That last word being spat out like it was poison-water, it made him want to hide his face, but not for the reasons one would think. _'He is still just blindly listening to Father. Norns, Thor, I thought you were smarter than that after all these years. No, just listen to him because you don't know that he lied and you're believing him when you've never even met the Jotnar before. At least, I had the 'get herded to Mother' experience to wonder about them, you don't even have that. This is why I always end up cleaning up your brash mistakes. I love you, but I would love you even more if you would gain more brain-power than a rock one of these days.'_

Hailsturm growled back, "We're retaking our stolen property. What are you going to do about, Princess ?"

_'You really shouldn't have called him, 'Princess', Hailsturm. He hates being called that and it's all because of Sandr's thinking Thor's feats were over-compensation. Which they really are if one thinks about it when I'm invovled. The one time I agree with that red-haired idiot because it's true and Thor threw him into my lake, even though Sandr can't swim.'_

A second later, Mjolnir met Hailsturm's face thus knocking the giant jotun over and Thor's response was, "It's not stolen, it was given to us.", as the hammer returned to him.

He turned and handed Ymir's Casket to Ennsturm before he walked slowly to stand in front of his brother. Whether Thor truly didn't recognize him or Thor was rejecting him, there was no recognition in those blue-eyes. Never had he thought he would see the day when Mjolnir was likely to be used on him, yet it seemed that day had come.

 _'I don't want to use Blodbita on him, but I will if I must.'_ Blodbita rested in a sewn-in sheath on the side of his kilt for easy access. Slowly, he started raising a hand as he shifted back into Asgardian-form and answered, "It was **not** given, Thor, Hailsturm speaks true, it was stolen.", while he stroked the bearded cheek.

When they were far younger he'd been jealous of that too.

**Flashback**

The small, rapid waves hitting the shore mirrored his fading sobs as Thor held him, it was so warm in the sun. He tilted his head from Thor's shoulder to look up at the blond, distracted when his cheek brushed against something rough on Thor's.

It made him inquire, "Did Fandral cut you sparring with him before you left ?"

A rather adorably confused look on Thor's face before he answered, "No, not that I know of."

So, he leaned closer and spotting the culprit huffed in annoyance, "Even Sif has more stubble than I do and she doesn't have any."

_'Yet another reason I'm a freak, Fandral, Hogun, Sandr and now Thor. They all have some and I don't even have one hair.'_

"Actually, she looked incredibly hairy after you left. Perhaps, brother, you can steal hers when she's asleep tonight."

That had him bursting into laughter then it faded and he asked, "Thor, what if Mother cheated on Father with an alf ?"

"Why do you think that ?"

"Grundsol doesn't have any stubble and he is never going to have any. Whilst I as well have never had any, what if I am part-alf ?"

Thor's hand brushed against his too-smooth cheek, replying, "You're not, just wait another week or two and there'll be some, you'll see."

"But, what if there **still** isn't any ?"

"There **will** be, trust me, brother."

**End Flashback**

Thor blinked at him then asked, "How do you know ? W-why are you helping them when they kidnapped you ?"

"Besides yourself, Mother and sometimes Fandral I've been the outcast always. On Jotunheim I'm not a freak anymore and they have respect for me, unlike here. Ymir's Casket belongs to the Jotnar and Father stole it, Thor, before either of us was born. It needs to be returned home, unlike Father said they're not murderers all the time, they're people. Father would never lift the ban so that we could get it officially, so it has to be this way."

His words got a rapid head shake from the blond, a hand warily moving to cup the nape of his neck through his hair. The way that Thor was ready to jerk away from him in a second hurt and the pleading way Thor said, "You weren't, you have to stay, you can't go away again !", felt like both a command and an insult.

Took his hand off Thor's cheek and hissed, "I was, I explained why years ago ! Norns, Thor, you're such a stupid cow and you're still **not listening** to me ! Then again, you only **ever** listen to Father, so why should I expect anything different when it's obvious that I'm, that I'm just a monster to you, now."

When Thor put a hand on his chest to stop him there was still pleading in those eyes, but some horror too and he shoved past Thor. Instinct had him unsheathing Blodbita before he opened the door. After he pushed the right door open he thrust Blodbita up before him, slicing through the spear that was thrust at his face.

Mother hissed, "Olaf, what are you doing ? Let Loki through, he's not going to hurt you.", as she strode over, her golden clothes glowing in the sunlight.

He sheathed Blodbita and looked from her to Olaf who spluttered, "M-my Queen, but he's a jotun !", as the einherjar waved the broken spear-haft.

Mother punched Olaf in the face knocking him to the ground, "He is **still my son** , Einherjar Olaf ! You will take him and the other Jotnar to the Bifrost so that they may leave without harm."

Olaf looked like he was going to protest and then Father's voice cut through, "I believe that your Queen just gave you an order, Einherjar. Obey it, now."

As he carried Ymir's Casket with Hailsturm and Ennsturm on either side of him, with Olaf in front of the group, all the way to the Bifrost he felt Thor's stare on his back.

**End Flashback**

Shook himself from the memory to throw the mug of jotlaukrol on the floor. It gave a rather satisfying smash, then he laid his head on the black-ice table. _'He hates me, he hates me now. All because of Father and Father will never let him come here. I'll never see him again. Why couldn't you have just let Pink-eyes kill me or ordered the Destroyer to kill me, Father ? Least ways, then I would not have to suffer for your mistakes.'_

Hailfalla answered, "I beg pardon, but my Prince, your brother sounds like a fool."

Someone new put another mug on the table in front of him and he looked up. When he saw those eyes, despite the fact that he hit the floor once, he managed to lunge at and pin down Pink-eyes. _'Father may have let you go, but I won't.'_


	15. Accuse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation: Daell - 'Gentle'

Thor was still staring desperately as the Bifrost disappeared like the last jotun had through it. Quickly, Olaf turned and scurried away down the bridge before he could get assigned new duties.

_'What was that last jotun's name ? Hailsturm or some such ? Why would Father steal the Casket ? Loki called it Ymir's Casket, but Father called the Casket of Ancient Winters, when he told us about it. Why would Father lie ?'_

Anger for Loki flowed through him and he turned to Father, "How could you lie to him his whole life ? How could you **kidnap a babe** , **Father** ?"

Father's white-hair glowed in the sun and he looked far older suddenly then before.

Father pulled something out of his belt pouch, it was Loki's ruby-dragon ring and stared at it, his tone distant, "When I took him from that temple I thought his family didn't want him because I saw a jotun leaving. And when I entered and looked down at him, he stopped crying. He looked so terrified, so helpless that even I couldn't leave him to die no matter what he was. Even then he knew how to shapeshift - as soon as he saw me he tried copying my skin-color and changed his eyes to green - like he was begging me to take him with. It was only when I got back to Asgard that I found out Heimdall thought the babe was Yfirloki, Prince of Jotunheim and that Laufey ordered him abandoned. I-I never meant-"

His gaze swept from Father to Heimdall stood in the golden chamber and back, accusing Father, "You never meant **what** , Father ?! You never meant for him to find out ? For Loki to live his life **never** knowing the truth about who he was ? For him to feel out of place and yet you lied about the Jotnar knowing he was one ? If Loki never comes back to Asgard, I can't blame him. When I was little I only ever wanted to be like you, Father, but now ? Now, I would rather have an honest jotun Father than a lying Asgardian one ! How many besides you, Heimdall, Mother and Eitri knew ?"

Slid his hand down to wrap it around Loki's dagger, _'I could have at least given it back to him. Where did he get that ice-knife ? Was it a present for him ? Father won't let me go to Jotunheim, but I need to find someway to get there. I need to apologize for being Fljotr's ass to him, if he'll even look at me. I wouldn't look at me if I were him, he deserves so much better then me.'_

Father's fingers clenched around the ring's snow-white band as he replied, "Noone else knew besides Heimdall, myself and your mother."

That made him look around for Mother, she looked rightfully ashamed. _'At least, Mother thinks Loki is still her son. By Father's words yesterday, was it just yesterday ? He cares some, yet that doesn't excuse this all.'_

Father continued after a seconds silence, "Eitri only found out because Loki was so strong that he broke cribs before the new ones were finished. We needed something stronger, something made from dwarven-metal and we had to explain it so that he knew what to make. Frigga and Eitri wanted to tell Loki as soon as he was old enough to understand it. I thought it was too much of a risk, that when he heard it he would run into the forest. That he would run into death...and a bilgesnipe, bilgesnipes were running wild then, they started destroying the city at one point."

He turned on his heel and started down the rainbow bridge, passing Mother. The next words he flung over his shoulder, "Well, you had a thousand some years since and he found out from another ! Maybe it was better Loki was kidnapped to Jotunheim.", angry at both Father and himself.

Angry that he could have believed for a second that Loki could be a monster just because he was a jotun. That as always he had obeyed Father instead of thinking for himself like Loki told him to do so many times. When he reached the end of the bridge Fandral was waiting.

The light-blue and silver clad Asgardian seemed in disbelief as he wondered, "W-was that Loki ? Surtr wasn't lying after all then ?"

Both of them started down the biege cobbled streets, the crowds which had followed Loki and the Jotnar had mostly left. "Yes, it was and Surtr told the truth. What I don't understand is what they called him."

"What who called him ?"

"That eight-foot jotun and Father. They called him F-, no, I-, Nornsdammit !, **Yfirloki**."

Beside him Fandral frowned, "I don't know what that means either. I'd say it's 'something-air', but why would frost-giants name a child after the air ?"

In turn he said, "Exactly, Fandral and why are the Jotnar called Jotnar ? Shouldn't they be Jotjotnar so they are truly 'frost-giants' instead of just 'giants' ?"

They neared the center of the city as Fandral replied, "Maybe the Jotnar thought they were the only ones ? They probably couldn't travel much when they first started out, just like us."

_'Loki has fear, happiness, sadness and such. Maybe I even **had** his love, it's obvious the Jotnar are people too. Did something happen to Father to make him hate them, so that he would lie to us ?'_

Sif's voice came from in front of them, "You're sympathizing with those things ? Here I thought you had sense, Fandral. Thor I could see considering he wanted Loki when he thought they were brothers."

Stunned that she had noticed, he stopped and looked at the black-haired, brown-leather clad woman, "Why do you say that, Sif ?"

Her grey-eyes flashed angrily as she hissed, "It was obvious you'd never have me when you were too busy drooling over him ! Even if you didn't realize it, Thor, everyone could see you wanted your 'brother'. You were always watching him too closely, never noticing anyone else. I thought eventually you'd see that he wasn't interested and come to me, but you never did. If you love him so much why didn't you go with him ? You make me sick, Thor."

When he countered with, "He doesn't deserve me, Sif, he needs someone better than I. And by your words, by the fact that you call the Jotnar 'things' you never would have deserved me at all.", her anger turned to outrage and she rushed at him.

That caused him to dodge around her, before there was a pounding of hooves on the stone. Sveimun ran towards them screaming; he stepped in front of the brown-furred, black maned and tailed horse trying to calm him. Noticed then that Sveimun was dragging part of the stall-door when the horse started nosing him and, once again, looking for Loki. Just then some stableboys came to a panting halt a few feet away.

A red-haired boy in a grey-tunic and black-pants huffed, "Thank the Norns..., Prince Thor, the horse nearly...killed himself breaking out of his stall. He's so fast, he's mad !"

Sif muttered, "The horse isn't the one who's **mad** !"

Slowly, he put his hand on Sveimun's neck, patting the horse as he said, "If you had missed a family member for near a fortnight would not you react the same, little one ?"

"Of course, I would and my name is Daell Sandrson, my Prince."

He turned the horse, "Then rest awhile, son of Sandr for Fandral and I shall take Sveimun back to the stables for you."

Many thanks were said by Daell and his two friends as he and Fandral led the now slightly calmed horse away. Sif glared after them, it was only when they had reached the stables that Fandral murmured, "As you know he's not your brother I suppose there's nothing stopping you from admitting it now."

As he walked Sveimun into the ruined stall Fljotr leaned over and put his neck on Sveimun's. The darker horse in turn started nibbling on the white-horse's mane and nickering.

When he backed up, he put the remnants of the door back in place, "Actually, that didn't stop me at all. Whenever I tried to stop, he'd pull me back in...even if he didn't know it."

** Flashback **

Seconds after he opened his eyes, he closed them again. _'It's wrong, it's wrong so why do I keep coming back ? I need to leave for good this time.'_

Beside him Loki was whimpering and twitching in some nightmare. Pity made him think, _'I can't leave now, I'll just wait until he wakes up. He almost always wakes up earlier than me, so it'll be a surprise for once. He'll wake up in a few minutes.'_

Of course, that thought meant that Loki didn't, resulting in the smaller Asgardian staying asleep for another hour.

**End Flashback**

Fandral raked a hand through his hair, uncomfortably shifting his weight and saying, "Oh, uh, well, at least you're not going to Hel anymore then."

At that he said an equally uncomfortable good-bye and quickly left the stables. It took him awhile to get the palace because people wouldn't move out of his way. Instead of going to Loki's chambers like he wanted, he forced himself to go to his own. After he'd laid Loki's leather-bound dagger and Mjolnir on his small table, he sat on the floor and stared at his bed.

_'So, nearly everyone is either getting accused of something or doing the accusing. Meanwhile, all I want is to find Loki and apologize. Does Jotunheim even have horses and stables ? Maybe if I find a way there, I can bring Sveimun with. Just maybe if I manage it Loki will forgive me a bit easier.'_


	16. Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations: Rikr - 'Great', Flod - 'Flood', Angiri - 'Greed', Saer - 'Sea', Skuld - 'Debt, future'

Loki who now had Blodbita at Pink-eyes' throat snarled, "How dare you come here ! I should slit your Hel-damned throat this very second, Pink-eyes."

Pink-eyes pleaded, "Wait, wait, please, my Prince ! I'm not who you think ! I am Issflod Blodflodson, my family was mad. They made me eat other Jotnar until my father found this child from the palace and this lady appeared and told him off. I ran away after that, if they continued after I left I don't know ! Please, please don't kill me."

**Flashback**

Yet another pained cry left him as the sour smelling bag hit the floor and he crawled out. Blinded by a strange, oddly colored flickering, at least, until he was hit in the face again. When he blinked there was a pink-eyed, five-foot jotun leaning over him blocking the strange light.

A lady's voice, far colder than Mother's, snapped, "Issflod, don't hit your food ! Blodflod where did you find that ? It's not got even a scrap of meat on it."

"Shut up, Agnirisaer, I got it from the palace."

Agnirisaer shouted, "The palace, the palace ! You stole the King's runty brat for our supper ? You might well have just brought us to Hel, he'll be looking everywhere !"

The volume made him flinch and he looked from Issflod around the dark room. In the corner there were staring, white things that scared him. As he rolled over, his gaze drifted back to the giant opening, waiting for Father and Mother to come. They had to come save him because he didn't like these Jotnar.

Some time passed and perhaps he fell asleep, but suddenly a different and far nicer lady's voice said in his mind, "Worry not young Yfirloki thee will be yet saved."

When he opened his eyes next it was to more shouting voices. Agnirisaer, "Get rid of it ! Get rid of it now !"

Blodflod's anger was great, "No matter what that Skuld says I'm not going to die because of a damned scrap ! **I'll eat it if I want to**!"

"You can't fight the future, much less the **Norn** of Futures, Blodflod. I'll not have Issflod dying because you ate King Laufey's son. Don't you remember what King Bergelmir did for you ? Do you wish to repay him this way ? Get rid of that thing now or **I'll kill you myself**!"

He was snatched up and shoved into the bag again, more blackness and movement as he got hungrier by the second. The only time he stopped moving was when he was taken out and again put on a hard floor. His stomach and everything hurt by now and he wanted to go home, he wanted Mother. Great black-ice threw his cries into echoes, one last time Blodflod slapped him before leaving.

Very suddenly something oddly colored loomed over him, he quieted as he stared at the strange being - it had a bright-blue eye and much snow on its face, its skin was such an odd bright color - that he focused on it, wanting to see it closer and a chill covered him.

The strange being lifted him in one hand then, murmuring in a warm voice, "You'll be safe now, little one, I'll make sure of it."

**End Flashback**

Startled at the vividness of the memory he gasped, then he blinked blurrily down at 'Issflod' and tried comparing him with Pink-eyes/Blodflod. _'It would be wrong and Thor wouldn't want me to kill that idiotic pile of bull's shit's son for something his father did any ways.'_

Growled as he pulled Blodbita from Issflod's neck, "You are lucky today, son of Blodflod, for on an-another...day I would not be so merciful."

Issflod sighed, "Thank thee, my Prince, thank thee."

Hailfalla, who he had completely forgotten of, pulled him up before taking Blodbita from him and sheathing it, said, "Perhaps my Prince I should bring you to your room."

At that he pulled away from Hailfalla, "I don't need your help.", only to, once again, fall flat on his face. "Let me amend that to, "I do not need your help...much." "

Pushed himself off the floor and Hailfalla helped him stay up-right this time. As they started out of the opaque-iced doors, his thoughts stayed on Thor.

_'Being drunk is not my best state of being. It is definitely far more Thor's state than mine. I will never figure out how when he got madly drunk, and I wasn't with him, that he managed to walk straight. Especially, as I can't walk worth my weight in bilgesnipe shit right now. Quite a few of those times he got that drunk were either rather hilarious...or just annoying.'_

**Flashback**

At the sudden pounding on his door he sighed and put down his book on the bed-side table. The candle flickered in a breeze, even though he could read in total darkness it scared Thor when he did. Still the pounding continued and he knew who it would be as he made his way to the door.

Very surprisingly, when he opened it Thor did **not** fall inwards on him like so many times before. What Thor did instead was fall backwards so that he had to catch the blond, "You never do things in moderation do you, brother ?"

Bright-blue eyes were drink-hazed as he raised Thor back on his feet, then Thor slurred, "Mod-moo-mod whatever is for cows ! Hmm, pretty Loki." The bigger Asgardian was staring at his bare chest while pushing the open, black-silk robe off his shoulders. Rough beard started brushing his throat as Thor's lips pressed against the underside of his chin, down his throat.

His heartbeat raced as his gaze moved to check the hallway, which very thankfully was empty. Barely he managed to pull the resisting Thor into his room and willed the door closed as he replied, "Need I remind you, Thor, that I was a cow once ?"

Thor's hands by now had slid up his sides and firmly planted themselves on his upper-chest. Rather confusingly at the word, "Cow", calloused fingers started rubbing his nipples.

"What are you doing ?"

His brother stared at him, like **he** was stupid, before stating, "Milk, mi-ilk !"

_'Who knows what time in the morning it is and he couldn't get it himself ? He had to go right past the kitchen to get here ! Agh, drunk Thor is even stupider than sober Thor !'_

He pushed Thor's hands off his pectorals and shook his head, "I will get you some for you. If Eorl is to notice then I am putting the blame on you."

A scowl and demand, "I want Loki milk !", as Thor slid a hand up his forearm, over his bicep to start rubbing his shoulder in lowering circles.

Annoyed, he returned the scowl, "And why will regular milk not do ?"

"Because I want **Loki milk !** "

"Rrgh, fine you owe me a favour."

The eager, "Fuck me, Loki !", was enough to make him roll his eyes.

"When you're sober I'll think about it, you're a far too vocal drunk for my room."

Shouted response, "I am not !"

After he sighed, "My point is made.", he shifted into cow-form. Before he had time to blink Thor was already laid out on the floor sucking on his right nipple. _'He really never grew out of that sucking-phase when we were kids did he ? Well, at least, he's not biting like that stupid calf did. Ouch, he just bit me, Nornsdammit !'_

Two sore nipples, a return to his normal-form and a blown-out candle later, he lay half-asleep under the dark-green blanket with Thor. Just then he noticed, "Thor, you may be drunk, but you still are **not a dog** ! So, kindly stop sexing my leg and go to sleep already."

**End Flashback**

When he lay on the dark-blue fur-covered bed, that incredibly soft fur made him feel sad after he closed his eyes.

_'No dogs here, hardly any safe animals, besides Amuthumbla's cows and bulls. Why didn't Blodflod just eat cows ? Hmpf, the only ones with horses are Father and the younger Jotnar like Hailfalla. I wish Sveimun was here, I haven't seen him in weeks and I wasn't going to drag Hailsturm and Ennsturm to the stables. Poor Sveimun, does he think I abandoned him ? Why can't horses be like Mjolnir ? Oh, yes, it would kill them that's why. Stupid, drunk Loki.'_


	17. Ljsol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dagr - 'Day'

Thor flipped yet another page of the silver-leather bound book, then he sighed, "Grundsol can I not just go and see what Sveimun is doing ? Librarys are boring."

Before he looked about the high-ceilinged yew-wooded room, then at the sun-warmed, birch-wood shelves. _'It smells like paper and ink in here, Ymir's blood, looking at books is boring. Why do I need to look at magic tomes when I can't do magic without Mjolnir ?"_

Grundsol replied as he put one of the huge books back on the nearest shelf, "One thing I like about Loki, he appreciates a good book, much less a library. You're the one who wants to go to Jotunheim badly enough that both Fandral and yourself are disobeying Odin's orders. So, you can help me look for that spell, Thor because Fandral and I can't do it by ourselves. I remember reading it, the spell was like the Bifrost, but it used the sun to move you instead."

_'I hope there's sunlight on Jotunheim or we'll never get there. Sveimun wants to see Loki as much as I do, if not more.'_

He looked down at the page and not seeing anything skimmed the next before turning it. An illuminated drawing caught his eye - the pale skinned and very light blond, silver-white eyed King Sol stood beside a jotun with garnet-eyes and long black-hair who looked related to Loki. Like Loki the jotun wore a black-scaled kilt and gauntlets, but the kilt was longer than Loki's.

Fully distracted then he wondered, _'How can Loki stand Jotunheim's cold, if its nearly as terrific as Father says, in a kilt that happens to be that short ? It looks as well on him as anything does, execpt for that blond who threw herself on him that one time, but how ? Loki's lucky he was not anywhere near that kilt that day or I doubt it would have stayed on for long. If it hadn't been me, it would have been that woman trying to get it off him.'_

**Flashback**

It had greatly surprised him when Loki had agreed to accompany him to the celebration. Especially as Mother had given Loki some new book about the dragons that had once lived on what would become their home. Loki sat on his left, while on the right were Volstagg and Hogun, the red-brown haired Asgardian and black-haired vanir were taking turns telling the tale. Sif and Fandral sat across from them, interrupting to further their parts in the tale.

Sif smirked at Loki as she said, "And what did Loki do when the bandits attacked ? Throw a few little knives and then disappear so that the **real** warriors could finish the task."

In the light of the black-iron candelabra above them Loki's lips gave the faintest twitch as his skin further paled in outrage. No matter if either Loki **or** himself would tell the real tale it would just get buried beneath the lies.

Before Loki could reply some light-blond woman in a dark-silver dress sat herself on his brother's lap. Nearly growled when she entwined a hand in the soft, black-hair and wrapped the other hand around Loki's dagger, fiddling with the black-leather hilt as she said, "Surely Loki the Magnificent was merely letting you take some of the glory."

Loki who had looked faintly amused until now, smirked, "And you would be quite right, of course, I am simply magnificent. I was being gracious enough to let the others have their taste, otherwise they simply would not have had a tale to tell."

The woman slid her hand from Loki's dagger slowly across his lap, not, unfortunately for her, his brother wasn't interested. She pouted up at the smaller Asgardian before trying to kiss Loki, he moved a hand to cover the soft lips as he glared at her. When he pulled his hand off Loki's mouth and she tried to hit Loki she only ended up being flipped over onto the floor.

Said woman got up and ran out screaming as Loki combed his fingers through his hair.

**End Flashback**

Shook himself from the memory to look at the drawing again, below it was written: Sol Dagrson, King of Alfheim and Thrudgelmir Ymirson, first King of Jotunheim.

_'I didn't know Alfheim and Jotunheim used to be friends. Are they friends still ? Besides Father's stories Loki and I were allowed to know so little of Jotunheim, of what they are actually like. So, perhaps they know each other and that spell does exist, if only we could find it.'_

Turned page after yet another page, he didn't get how Loki could stand books. Books didn't do anything, they just lay there and, unless they were magic books and they could fight back they weren't interesting.

Fandral shouted from the other side of the library, "What are we looking for again ? A light spell, yes, but these are all light spells. Can we narrow the definition of the spell, please, Grundsol ?"

"I almost remember the name - 'something-light'. What is it, what is it ?"

There was the faintest whisper of movement and then King Sol was stood behind Grundsol saying, "Saerljsol, is the one you are looking for my son. I am surprised that yet you remember it as last it was mentioned eight hundred some years ago. You want to use a beam to go to Jotunheim do you not ?" The silver-white eyed alf-king looked at him as he finished saying the words.

He nodded and flipped closed his own book, "I want to find and apologize to Loki if he will let me, which if he sees Sveimun he might."

Sol raised his eyebrows and replied, "What if, despite seeing Sveimun, he has you all arrested and thrown in prison for invasion ? As Crown Prince of Jotunheim he would have every right to do so as some day it will be his kingdom as Asgard will be yours."

_'I would rather be thrown in prison with a chance of talking to him than be thrown in one of those chasms. I will be extremely lucky if he doesn't just kill me for implying he was a monster.'_

Fandral came walking to stand beside the alfar with a book bound in sapphires being set on the table, "I think I might have found that spell."

Sol nodded as he said, "Yes, this is it. Only rarely is there light in Jotunheim where you wish it, but everyday there is a small bit of light somewhere. Unless the beam is near the village you could easily get lost or die in hours. Are you three absolutely certain that you want to do this ?"

Grundsol, Fandral and himself didn't even have to look at each other as they replied, "We are."

"Meet me outside with Sveimun and as I have not used this spell in years I will practice before sending you to Jotunheim."

Sveimun seemed to know what was going on as he was excitedly prancing near the library's outside exit. An hour of getting sun-spotted around Alfheim later, they were suddenly in the extremely cold snow-fields of Jotunheim. When Sveimun pressed against his side the sound of deep cracking started. _'You did not even **think** of this happening did you, Thor ? Not really, no. You are such an idiot. I thought that was a given ? It is indeed.'_


	18. Crack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations: Bergloki - 'Bear-destruction', Bjorn - another variant of - 'Bear'

Loki had entered the black-stone and ice public face of Jotunheim with Byleistr; the buildings they passed were shaped like either dripping icicles or arches. It had fascinated him to walk the lower and upper paths, then the caves and mountains slightly beyond the ground level that he'd only heard of before. The paths that both of his fathers, real and adopted, had fought each other on. To see the throne that his family traditionally sat to see the other Worlds/Realms Kings and Queens, that Odin had tried to destroy with Father's only barely stopping him. That was why Odin had defeated Laufey because otherwise the only relic they had left since the theft of Ymir's Casket would have been gone forever.

One thing that continued to annoy him was that no matter how he asked no one would answer why every full-grown jotun had black-ridges in various places all over their body - some most prominently on their chin and brows like Father or their elbows and back like Byleistr. No pattern of the ridges was the same nor would they answer why he had none, it was almost like not having stubble all over again. As such, he had wanted answers and Byleistr had taken him to the library, which was contained in the two twin-horns of black-rock.

The spiralling stairs were made of dark-blue ice, the shelves of silver-ice. Meanwhile the books were either made of great furs or etched in black ice on clear ice. Byleistr pulled down a golden-ice book and the nine-foot jotun handed it down to him, "This is what the first Ymirson wrote of our magic, our customs translated for his friends of the Alfar, little brother Yfirloki."

_'Doubtless, I get along better slightly with Byleistr as, like Grundsol and I, he enjoys a book and finds it not useless like Thor and Helblindi.'_

Slowly he opened the book and sat on the floor, asking, "First Ymirson ? Forgive me, but Father has yet to explain of Jotunheim's titles to me."

"Ymirson or Ymirdaughter these are the official titles of our Kings and Queens used only on Jotunheim. As my adopted father is Laufey Ymirson, so will you be Yfirloki Ymirson in time."

His gaze moved over the page, the words : When a jotun starts learning their magic this is when they grow their first ridge. As they master it, they grow another and so on until they are done growing and their lessons are complete. What has been noticed is that those who are born smallest, amongst those mine own son Bergelmir, their magic and strength compensates if they manage to survive the first days. The smallest must be tested if they survive not then may they be on the Heilagriss waiting to be born again to live.

_'Waiting on the 'Holy ice' ? Is that like their version of Valhalla ? It sounds like he really did want them, wanted me, to survive. What would he think of my former relationship with Thor ?'_

That made him look up at Byleistr and ask, "D-do you know if inter-World relations ever work for us ?"

"For little ones like you or young ones like Hailfalla yes, normally they do. You want to know if yours with the Prince of Asgard might yet survive."

He was about to answer when hooves pounded up the stairs and broke his concentration. A familiar whinny and then Sveimun was sliding across the floor to breathe in his face, it made him laugh as he breathed back before rubbing the dark-brown horse's neck. In an afterthought, he quickly handed the book to Byleistr.

_'What is he doing here ? How- ? Thor, you idiotic… Why are you risking exile for a horse, even if it is **my** horse ? I'll kill that arrogant, Nornsdamned, son of a bitch.'_

Sveimun started nudging him up right, before both horse and jotun started racing down the stairs. When they reached the snow, he leapt onto Sveimun who turned and bolted toward the snowfields. As soon as they left the protection of the rocks it turned into a whiteout, he shouted, "Thor, Thor ! For Ymir's sakes, answer me !"

It was not Thor, but Mother who did, "Loki, do not the Idiots of Asgard know not to go on ice during the Great Cracking ?"

The seasons of Jotunheim were such: the Great Cracking - when the ice made new trails as it split some of Jotunheim in half, which was followed by the Hailing - which was prime hunting season since many animals were killed in the open and the Freezing - as the new and old trails were covered and Jotunheim was whole again. Mother's voice came from the middle of the snowfields and considering that Ymir's Casket could make an icy-wind, and that he'd done also done so when he was younger; he decided to try pushing the ice-laced winds away.

More than half-surprised when it worked, it thusly revealed Mother stood over not only Thor, but also Grundsol and Fandral. All of which were surrounded by cracks, some were being filled with new ice, but other, bigger cracks were still appearing.

Answered, "They are not used to snow, much less ice, Mother.", when Sveimun stopped beside Thor and he dismounted. Then Mother bent to scoop up Fandral and put him on the horse before doing the same with Grundsol. While he was staring horror-struck as he crouched beside Thor. His skin being blue/bluish was normal, but Thor's was definitely not supposed to be, his once 'brother' managed a half-blink up at him.

Quickly, he picked up Thor willing the water in the snow around them to freeze faster as ice started falling apart behind them. As he ran across the fields, sometimes only just ahead of the faster cracks, he glared down at, and started scolding, Thor, "You rock stupid idiot, what were you thinking ? Wait, once again, you were **not**. Risking not only yourself to exile and possible death, but Fandral's life as well and for what ? To die ? Did you mean to set out on a suicide mission, you arrogant fool ? Because you didn't even take **one** measly fur amongst you !"

Thor gave a weak chuckle and countered, "I-I w-was thinking I wanted to a-apologize."

Suppressed the angry roar, then managed, "By dying ?", before wordlessly fuming at the sheer idiocy as he entered the village.

The guards let Sveimun in as the horse reached the palace's doors, Mother entered and slowed as he got onto the bridge. Looked over the side at the forty-foot gap that could only be crossed by a jotun if the bridge was up as Thor muttered, "S-Sveimun, he w-was going mad and y-you **always** miss him."

Dimly, he heard Mother ordering for warmed rooms to be made and furs to be brought. In response to Thor, he wanted to slam his head into one of the entrance hall's walls, but instead snarled, "I would miss you more if you were dead, you Hel-damned, ignorant, bilgesnipe's ass. Now, be quiet, save your strength and think about this next time !"

Blue-eyes were faintly amused and Thor managed a non-stuttered sentence, "But you sound even sexier when you're angry.", before losing consciousness.

_'Still so very immature I see. What should that matter if thinking will save his and others lives ? Why do I love him again ? Oh yes it's because, unlike me, he is a useless liar and tells truths only.'_

All he could do was sigh as Father and Helblindi walked up to himself and Mother. Father exclaimed, "What are **they** doing here ?! The Allfather will think we kidnapped them as we did you. They have brought Asgard's wrath upon us all !", as he stared from Thor to himself and back.

He shook his head, "Father if anything we have made sure it is **not** or else we would have let the ice fully crack. Do you not recognize Grundsol, Prince of Alfheim ?"

Father replied, "Of course, when Frabauti and I went to congratulate Sol, we took you with us. Yourself and young Grundsol got along like hoarfrost and snow." as they followed Mother and the servant called Haski, who was Father to Byleistr and Helblindi, towards the now heated rooms.

Father followed him as he moved to put Thor in the closest room and down on the bed. When he finished unbuckling the breastplate, removing the chain mail linked sleeves and both frozen tunics, after he'd put the warmed fur over his love, Sveimun started nudging his hand so that it rested on top of Thor's.

"I wondered always what would have happened had you not been stolen from us." It startled him to hear Father say something since he had been otherwise silent after entering the room.

"What do you think would have happened ?"

"I think that perhaps as you would have gotten along with Grundsol and, as Asgard too has always been slight friends with Alfheim, that eventually you would have met the Odinson. That perhaps we could have repaired the relationship between Jotunheim and Asgard, eventually getting the Casket returned to us. It seems that you would have happened no matter the circumstance."

That made him twist to look at the far older jotun, "What do you mean 'you' ?"

Father's blood-red eyes were amused, "Jotnar do not get drunk over trivial matters, and you are the same way, even though you knew it not. Why would you lament his hating you unless you loved him ? The look on your face as you told the son of Hailsturm was not just one of anguished love between normal brothers, but also that of a lover. Had you grown knowing me as your father, instead of as a mere bedtime storied enemy for Asgardian little ones, I would have encouraged you in it. Your Great-great Uncle Bergloki second born of Ymir was as you, but he fell in love with a Midgardian who was killed by a bjorn."

" **Well, Thor is not-** "

"Ssh, do not you want him to sleep ?"

Ashamed of his unintentional outburst he looked down at Thor, who was thankfully still asleep, and tightened his grip on the still too pale hand. He heard Father leave as he sat down to look at Thor. The serene expression as the blond-hair was spread over the dark-pillow, just like whenever Father entered the Odinsleep, made him nervous. _'What if you don't wake up ? No, you must wake up for our friends, if they show up here Father and Mother, for me, you must.'_


	19. Civil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations: Sigr - 'Victory', Steinn - 'Stone', Ljsolhilde - 'Light-war'

Thor blinked some how he now stood looking down at his own body. Ice-walls glittered around him as he turned and walked through the door calling, "Loki ? Fandral ? Grundsol ? **Anyone** ?"

Turned to look into the room closest to his - to see Fandral sat up on the bed with Sigr, Fandral's Mother, sat beside him. Fandral blinked the light-eyes darting past Sigr like Fandral had sensed him, "Exactly what is going on at home, Mother ?"

"Sif almost started a revolt against Odin when she found out that you and the others had gone to Jotunheim. When I left she was fuming about it to whoever would listen which was a good bit of the citizens. Even some of the Einherjar are agreeing with her that Asgard should go to war claiming that the Jotnar distorted Loki's mind to sympathize with them."

Fandral's eyebrows raised, "I'm surprised she didn't just claim he was a traitor. Does she really think that possibly starting a civil war is going to make Thor love her ?"

"I don't know what she's thinking. Now, if Steinn had been killed like your father by the Jotnar I could see her doing this, but besides being jealous of Loki she doesn't have a reason."

Shocked at what he'd heard he turned again and went to the next room to see Grundsol asleep with Sol and Ljsolhilde, Grundsol's Grandmother and former Queen of Alfheim, sat in the corner talking. Wandered away past his room and the seven and a half-foot guards that lined the hallway, _'_ _Sif wants to lead a war against Father ? Simply because she doesn_ _'_ _t like the fact that I_ _'_ _m in love with Loki and sympathize with the Jotnar ? We only became friends with her because Steinn used to be good friends with Father. Now that I think on it, even then she seemed quite interested in me._ _'_

**Flashback**

He whispered, "Loki, why is there a **girl** coming here ?", across Father to Loki as Father scowled at him.

Loki didn't answer and he looked at the pale-skinned, black-haired girl approaching with black-haired Steinn, she wore a dark-brown and dark-silver dress as she stopped in front of the throne put a fist over her heart and half-bowed.

Steinn bowed as well saying, "Heill Odin Borson, Thor and Loki Odinson. This is-"

"My name is Sif Steinndaughter, it is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Thor." This she finished by walking up the golden steps to suddenly grasp his forearm.

Not knowing what to do, he responded, "Ah…and I am glad to meet you as well, Lady Sif." How he wished the grey-eyed girl would let go and introduce herself to Loki instead.

Loki spoke up then, "Father, might Thor, Sif and I go spar so that yourself and Einherjar Steinn would be alone ?"

Father nodded, "A wonderful idea, Loki, now run along."

Sif practically sent him tumbling down the stairs as pulled him, while Loki just walked down slowly, imitating Father. An hour later, as Sif sheathed her sword and walked away from the sparring area with Steinn, Loki muttered, "I don't like her Thor, you would never let me pull you around like that."

Tyr walked by in his shiny armour replying, "Perhaps if you could indeed pull him, he would let you, my Prince."

Loki scowled and Tyr briefly jumped, but kept on walking normally causing Loki to throw a rock at his head, which dinged off Tyr's silver, ram-horned helmet.

**End Flashback**

Realized that he had wandered out into the entrance hall to see that stood with Loki was Frabauti and what must have been Laufey, across from the Jotnar stood Mother and Father.

Father shifted uncomfortably and said, "Thank you for allowing us here, Laufey. I know you think badly of us."

"Only so much as you do of us, Allfather from what Yfirloki said you told him of us. Still you have Frabauti and Yfirloki to thank for saving your son…unlike how you, however unknowingly at first, stole my son and then refused to return him when you knew such. If I hadn't worried for his life I would have tried to take him back."

Frabauti and Mother both looked tired already, as if they had thought such a thing would happen.

Loki shook his head exclaiming, "Fathers, **enough** ! Each of you has made mistakes in the war you started, but end it now. I know not what made you dislike the Jotnar and lie to me, but Father if you had told the truth then Thor wouldn't have come here because he wanted to apologize to me. If he had not done that, he would not have been here when the ice cracked."

' _He doesn't even know about Sif's trying to start a civil war or was he already told ?'_

Loki turned to look up at Laufey, "And Father he chose not to use the Destroyer on Hailsturm, Ennsturm and myself when he could have killed me easily ! Yet, earlier it sounded as if you rather that Mother and I had left Thor and the others to die; then you went on to tell me you wished to repair Jotunheim and Asgard's relationship. So, now take the opportunity that you have received from Skuld or let it be known that I have had almost enough of idiots from both Asgard and Jotunheim."

Mother walked past Loki, handing the smallest jotun the onyx and emerald song-bird as she did. Mother and Frabauti walked through him as he stared at Loki who stroked the bird's feathers.

**Flashback**

Pale fingers ran lightly over the outstretched onyx wings and feathers in amazement. The song-bird's tail-feathers and breast were made of emerald, its head made of onyx and banded with a ring of emerald. Loki asked, "Y-you made this for me ? It must have taken weeks for you to get it this detailed." Those pretty, dark-emerald, eyes the same shade as the carved bird's.

He smiled as he said, "Of course, who else do we know which would appreciate it ? Well, appreciate it **and** keep it whole ?"

The faintest smile from his brother, "Not many and it is far too beautiful to be used for throwing practice. Thank-you, Thor, it is simply…amazing.", while Loki placed the bird on the grass.

Even though they were sat below the cherry trees on the edge of the lake, far from the city still he looked around before kissing Loki. _'_ _Still I do it, knowing that kissing him just makes it so much worse. It is just far, far harder to go without._ _'_

**End Flashback**

Father sighed, "I know I should have told you the truth long ago. I just…I thought you would feel more at home if you thought you were an Asgardian. I never meant to hurt you as I thought you were abandoned and that I was saving you. And yet in trying to protect you I just ended up making the betrayal that you felt worse. When Eitri gave you that ring I should have told you what it meant instead of taking it from you.", the regret, once again, obvious on the weathered face as Father took out the dragon-ring.

Loki slowly accepted the white-metal and ruby ring before slipping it on, replying, "Skuld and, by extension, you **did** save me from the cannibal I knew then as Pink-eyes, but now as Blodflod. If it hadn't been for Skuld, he and his family would have eaten me, she made him take to me the temple where you found me."

Father looked shocked, "A cannibal ? Just like-", before he could hear more he was waking up Mother and Frabauti walking into his room.

Mother walked to pull him up into a hug, "Thor, w-we thought that you were going to die."

She released him as Loki, who suddenly stood in the doorway, said, "Surrender isn't in his nature, Mother, no matter what it is…almost."

He laughed as Loki licked his lips then Frabauti said, "It sounds as if you would make a good husband for my Yfirloki, Odinson."

Loki moved into his room and walking up to stand in front of his bed, beside Frabauti and Mother, responded, "Mother, just because you have finally found me and now have met Thor does not give you permission to push me to marry right away. If I wish to do so, I will marry when I wish and not before."

' _Marry Loki ? I actually_ _ **could**_ _marry him if I wished now or, rather, if he wanted to marry me._ _'_ The thought was enough to make him blush, Frabauti and Mother shared looks as Loki smirked slightly. As Loki held up the bird, he remembered the dagger and unsheathed it before holding it out to Loki. "Like I meant to apologize and bring you Sveimun, I also wanted to return this. I have kept it almost since Frabauti and the others took you here."

The dagger was accepted and sheathed after the bird was shifted into Loki's right hand. Even though he didn't want Loki to leave, neither did he want the bird to shatter from being dropped, so he watched the jotun walk out to check also on Sveimun.

Mother followed Loki out to see what was taking Father and Laufey so long. _'Was one of Father's friends eaten by that Blodflod ? Is that why Father lied about Laufey and the Jotnar ? Because somehow he thought all of them were like that ?'_

Frabauti lowered her seven-foot some frame to sit on the floor, "Did you know son of Odin that I knew Bor ?"

As he replied, "No, I did not. How did you meet him ?", he ran a hand through his hair.

"I was to be married to Laufey, who had just been crowned King of Jotunheim, and was on my way to see him when this odd little Asgardian ran by me. He was being chased by the Blarblodorn, the eagle of blue-blood. The eagle flew away when it saw myself and thus was it that I saved and met Bor, Prince of Asgard. Of course, my being delayed meant that Laufey disliked Bor from the start or, at least, he did until Bor destroyed Malekith and the Svartalfar. It was Laufey who introduced Bor to your grandmother, Eir Utgard-lokidaughter."

"My Grandmother was a jotun ? It explains why Father never answered Loki and my own questions of her. So, in a way Loki did indeed look like my Grandmother, just not in the way that we thought."

Frabauti nodded and then said, "Good, I take my leave of you…Thor."

Thus it was that he was left alone to think until Loki would return.

' _Possibly one of Father's friends was eaten by a cannibalistic jotun and my Grandmother was for sure a jotun. Skuld just did not wish Father to like the Jotnar did she ? Loki mentioned Skuld. Did he see the actual Norn Skuld or was he merely being ah, uh, met-, metaphoric ?'_


	20. Lust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Varg - 'Wolf'

Loki entered Thor's room and closed the door, glad that Sveimun had taken to his new stable, yet now also worried of Sif's attempt at rousing civil war. The thoughts fled with a sigh of relief as he saw Thor sat up with the giant, dark-blue varg fur pooled about the black-clad hips. The reason for his relief ? While Grundsol had woken, the alf-prince's back was yet to fully warm and so, he wasn't able to sit up.

Watched one of Thor's still too pale-hands rub at the blond-bearded chin before Thor started to say, "Come, b-," Thor stopped, then smiled before continuing, "Loki, sit. I would tell you something."

Slowly, he moved into the room and sat down beside Thor, "And what would such a thing be, hmm ?"

Thor started in a whisper, "When Tyr told me that you had disappeared I could not believe it. I refused to think that it was possible, but it was and you were gone. I thought I might not see you again, it was then I realized that I loved you more than I should have. When I realized that I'd implied that you were a monster I hated myself, you were far too smart and beautiful to be a monster. I care not that you were born Yfirloki, Prince of Jotunheim instead of Loki, Prince of Asgard, either way you are my love. My lovely Loki.", the tone ended only a bit louder and a hand rose to brush his cheekbone.

While Thor shuddered from his coldness, he flinched away as Thor's hand was far too hot on his skin, even for those few seconds. His love looked worriedly from his hand to himself and back, exclaiming, "What **was** that ?! I didn't mean to do that whatever it was. I'm sorry !"

He rested his hands on his sides, a mirthless laugh leaving him, "Worry not, it is not your fault that your skin feels so hot to me and mine so cold to you ! If ever we were to get married it would have to be emotionally only. I would not mind long as you stayed with me somehow. Most of the time I was in Asgard I was in the weapons vault, so I didn't get as hot as I could have-"

A grin from Thor who interrupted with, "On the contrary, I think you did.", that made him burst into genuine laughter. As his laughter faded Thor, again, continued, "Now might I ask why did I not get frost-burnt in the vault or for that matter all the times before ?"

Shocked, he exclaimed, "You're thinking ! Ah, the first I know that I can answer as you were touching my hair instead of my skin. As for the second mayhaps it is something to do with my shapeshifting."

Eager to test it, he shifted into his Asgardian-form and, only slightly hesitantly, he ran a hand over Thor's chest waiting for the heat. When it didn't burn or even warm his hand, he leaned up and kissed Thor running his tongue over Thor's lips. Lips parted letting him in for a deep kiss, while a calloused hand tangled in his hair as the other arm slid around his back before Thor pulled him against the hard, bare chest.

As Thor had done to him so many times, he let his hand slip under the fur-blanket to tease the half-hard blond with a slow stroke. The reaction was a groan into the kiss and an instinctive thrust into his hand. A moan of frustration as he pulled back from the kiss and slid his hand up from Thor's cock, slowly up the taut stomach to rub and pinch the already cold hardened right nipple. His last action got a hiss of surprised pleasure, it made him smile. Before he slid to lick, suck and bite the left nipple as Thor's back arched.

' _Finally I am_ _ **not**_ _the one who is going to have sore and raw nipples. Hmm, still no heat at all from his body now for some reason. I would say that is good, and it is, but now there is not even a half-twitch from myself. I know Jotnar cannot be impotent as otherwise neither Hailfalla nor myself would exist, so why do I feel nothing ? I_ _ **should**_ _be feeling something - if not a trembling heat then an equivalent chill, anything, but_ _ **nothing**_ _.'_

Thor seemed to notice something of his thoughts as the Asgardian stared down at him, "I can…do without. You are Prince of…Jotunheim and you cannot stay like this…forever." before letting go of, and stroking, his hair.

One last half-bite leaving that nipple red and sore as he lay his head against Thor's chest. Half-growled as he tried to catch his breath, "I know…just what makes the difference ?" and breathed in Thor's ever present scent of lightning scorched air. Now there was also a hint of lavender and earth from Thor's carrying his dagger.

 _'Does my shapeshifting put a layer of magic over my true self so that the heat affects me not ? Is it because I am more used to be being in this form ?'_ Before the answer came, there was a short knock on the door and when it opened, he lifted his head and twisted to see Hailfalla enter.

Hailfalla promptly looked embarrassed and started backing away, "Erm, ah, your pardon, my Prince. I shall just, muh ah take my leave. I will, uh, heh, come back…later, yes, **much** later ! My most sincere apologies for disturbing you."

Hailfalla's reaction was enough to make him laugh, "You have no need of that Hailfalla and we were finished either ways. What, hmm,", his lips twitched into a rueful smile as he looked back at Thor, "need have you of me ?"

' _Hailfalla was expecting us to have sex, so it cannot be a Jotnar trait. This is very disappointing 'self, very disappointing indeed.'_

Hailfalla stopped in his tracks and then said with a bow, "Thine Fathers, Prince Yfirloki, asketh thee to accompany their Majesties on a mikilbjorn hunt."

He slid off Thor's fur-clad lap to roll onto the floor and shifting back to his normal-form responded, "Therein mine Fathers shall rejoice."

As he walked past Hailfalla, he called over his shoulder, "Know you that I shall return, O' Thunderous Thor ?"

Thor responded, "Yes and O' Loki the Lustful I shall be waiting."

Of course, that little title made him try to think of why his current impotence might be, _'Surely, it must be because I am not yet comfortable around Thor in my real body. Hmpf, the next time 'self you will do as I want and as you are **supposed** to do.' _

Repressed a huff of annoyance at himself and noticed he had reached the entrance hall. Stood in the middle of the hall was Father, Odin, who wore still his golden-furred cloak, while in the golden-fur gloved hands was the spear Gungnir. Gungnir was capable of making energy-blasts, sustained ones, unlike Einherjar weapons, which could only manage a few seconds worth. Beside him was Father, Laufey, with a carved, ice long-sword sheathed over his green-scaled kilt.

Like earlier, he walked up to meet them, half-bowed and greeted, "Fathers."

"Loki."

"Yfirloki."

That was when the guards threw open the hall's doors and the trio walked out into the calmed snowfields. They were heading toward the East Mountains and the mikilbjornar or great-bears of Jotunheim.

' _Likely they are going to try to prove who is better at hunting or at the least more worthy to be my father. Both of my Mothers must be so very disappointed in them. I do hope my Mothers are still getting along well. Well, as long as I need not have to think of my current issue or Sif and her possible rebellion for another long while, thank thee Skuld.'_


	21. Discomfort

Thor stared as Loki disappeared from his sight. _'Did I do something wrong ? Normally, he never gets enough of me. Was finding out he is a jotun truly that worrying for him ?'_

After a second, he managed to repress a frustrated moan when the blood kept pounding through his veins. Apparently, the embarrassment of being walked in on by Hailfalla was not enough to discourage his body to calm itself. As he realized that Hailfalla had yet to leave, he pulled the blanket further up his hips.

Quickly, he pushed his hair off his neck and leaned his head against the wall, hoping the coolness of the ice would temper his desire-jarred nerves. It didn't help that the next thought to pop into his head was, _'Why can he not just come back already ? What do you want me to_ _ **come**_ _and fuck you with Hailfalla watching ? Perhaps, it would be better if it were just you and me having the_ _ **roughest**_ _,_ _ **noisiest**_ _reunion fuck we've ever had, no. Damn it,_ _ **yes**_ _!'_

The last two thoughts just made his cock ache harder and he lifted then slammed his head back into the wall with a crack. Unfortunately, it hurt the wall more than him, but it did draw his gaze to the far side of the room. More importantly to the distraction that was the irony of a fire in a fireplace made of ice. Beside the fireplace was a golden-ice table on top of which rested his armour, tunics and cape.

Still Hailfalla blushed deeply, but didn't stammer as he murmured, "You're so small compared to most of us and yet-"

He looked up at the six foot two jotun, Hailfalla was just as tall as Loki his mind noticed, and snarled, "If you complete that sentence, Hailfalla, I will knock you out with Mjolnir ! I have enough problems at the moment."

Hailfalla nodded, "Yes, of course. Again, I apologize, I didn't mean to interrupt you. Still my Prince is very glad you are here, he missed you greatly. It devastated him to think that you hated him, enough to get drunk."

Those last words baffled him, "That may be, but, Loki does **not** get drunk ! He drinks, yes, but never to get drunk. It is not how he is."

**Flashback**

When he tried to sit down all he ended up doing was falling into Loki's lap. Fuzzily, he heard Loki quip, "My, my, you truly are eager to see me, aren't you, brother ?"

He huffed, "So, you mis-missed the celebration again. And even when you don't, you don't drink.", as he rubbed a hand over the black leather clad thigh.

Perhaps it was a moment later that he raised his head slightly at the too loud sound of a chink against the table. Then a golden goblet of red wine was being wafted under his nose as Loki replied, "Oh I do, just not enough to get drunk. You see, Thor, I figure that one of us getting embarrassingly drunk every few days is enough."

Doubtless, it did not shock Loki that his slurred response wasn't even related to that, "You are far too pretty, brother."

His eyes followed the goblet as it was raised to Loki's pale-pink lips, the tongue that flicked with great care over the goblet's rim before it was tilted. Long-lashed, emerald-green eyes glowed down at him lust-filled as he watched that throat swallow slowly. What followed was an exaggerated sigh of content while the goblet was put back on the table. Pulled himself up the black-clothed chest and, on the second try, his lips found the bottom of the pale throat and, between a few mouthfuls of hair, worked his way up.

The pale face seemed even more so when framed by that long black-hair and he stared when Loki said, "And you have some truly terrible aim when you're drunk. Do realize how embarrassing that is to a knife-thrower ?"

It surprised him when he managed to find the wine-slicked lips on the first try. Then he murmured against them, "I don't care." Unsurprisingly, though, the wine tasted far sweeter as he licked it off Loki's lips than on its own.

**End Flashback**

Hailfalla shook his head, "In most cases, yes, but he definitely got drunk. I can verify it and so can His Majesty Laufey. Loki was so drunk that he barely stopped himself from killing the kitchen servant Issflod, who is son of the cannibal that kidnapped Loki, Blodflod, in a rage."

' _Father really did save Loki from a cannibal. Is that Blodflod still alive I wonder ?'_

Satisfied that he had distracted himself enough to be able to move comfortably; he threw the blanket aside and slid off the bed before walking over to the table.

As he pulled on his tunics, armour and cape, he replied, "Well, he must have truly been devastated then. The only other time I knew him to get drunk was after a fight we had on Vanaheim with some bandits. One of them was such a coward that he grabbed a little black-haired girl so that she was hit by Loki's knives instead of him. We were too far away to get healers and she died in his arms not even a minute later. Loki flew into a rage and after stabbing the bandit ten times, snapped his neck. He got so drunk that he cried in the drinking hall and passed out afterwards. I carried him back to his chambers and in the morning, I asked him about it. He didn't answer and it affected him so much that for weeks afterwards he barely spoke. It was terrible, not even our mother or I could get through to him."

When he turned to look at Hailfalla the jotun looked disturbed and sympathetic. Hailfalla shook his head in disgust, "Not a single one of the Jotnar would be so cowardly. Never would we sentence a girl to die so that ones self could live. I hope that he lies in the darkest, coldest part of Hel as he deserves not the beauty of Heilagriss !"

Though he didn't know what Heilagriss was, he knew that a coward like that bandit would never deserve Valhalla no matter that he had died in battle. With a nod to the jotun, he left the middling-red eyed Hailfalla to go and check on his friends. _'I wonder how Father, Loki and Laufey are doing on their hunt.'_


	22. Discomfort - Part 2

Loki rolled his eyes as the trip, again, devolved into boasting with a side-trip of hunting. Father, Laufey, who had just decapitated a, on two feet, fifteen-foot tall mikilbjorn was asking, "Can your puny Asgardian weapon kill a bigger bjorn than that ?"

Father, Odin's, counter of, "Of course I can, just like I would have protected Loki if he really was my secondborn. You should know, Laufey, that when I find that bjorn I will kill it faster than you as well."

His mind drifted to Sif and her attempted war, to the one reason that she would never call him a traitor.

**Flashback**

He sat on waist-high wall, in the Medina or the old city of Asgard where all the regular citizens and, thusly, the drinking halls and such were. Despite being so emotionally numb that he hadn't felt anything in weeks, once again, the little-girl's hazel-eyes flashed in his mind.

' _It's my fault. It is_ _ **not**_ _your fault. Yes, it_ _ **is**_ _! If I hadn't listened to that bastard's taunt, I never would have thrown those knives so quickly. Except, Thor's explanation makes sense think about it - why else would the bandit have stayed that close to her unless he had a plan that would work ? He wanted you to kill her, to blame yourself for it.'_

No matter how many times Thor and Mother said such things it never sunk in. Sif suddenly was sitting down beside him on the dark-stone wall. Flatly, she stated, "You're still blaming yourself."

"How can I not ? If I hadn't let him get to me with that damned 'pretty-boy' taunt, I would have made sure that she had gotten away first. It's my fault that she died, Sif."

Sif punched him in the jaw hard enough that he fell off the wall, "It's not your fault, Loki. If that bastard hadn't grabbed her, she would still be alive. You couldn't tell that he was going to grab her, so you couldn't mind-talk him into not doing it. That little girl wouldn't want you to blame yourself for her death. If she were here, she would tell you that it wasn't your fault. You avenged her by killing that coward. She would want you to try and save as many children from murderers like hers as possible. Prove that her memory means something to you, stop blaming yourself and sitting around doing nothing. **Wake up and do something** for Nornssake !"

Surprised at the sudden feeling, almost lovely, even though it was pain, he rubbed his jaw as he picked himself up. For some reason, hearing Sif say it let all the thoughts that had built over the past weeks out. _'Mother, Thor, myself we were right, it wasn't my fault. I can make it up to her and I can save them. Make sure it never happens again as long as I can stop it.'_

"Thank-you, Sif."

The black-haired woman smiled faintly, "It's not exactly fun, not being able to hate you because I did the same thing. Except for me, it was my little brother Selvig. He was annoying me and I told him to go away…h-he got run over by a bilgesnipe a few minutes later. It was Volstagg who helped me realize what I'd already unconsciously known, that it wasn't my fault."

Quickly, he strode out of the Medina towards the training area. Thor looked surprised to see him and Tyr's sword slammed into Thor's chest knocking the blond Asgardian over. His brother rolled away from Tyr, got up and rushed over to him. A pale hand moved to cup his nape, those gorgeous eyes were hopeful, "Are you feeling…better, brother ?"

"Yes, I am much better." The relieved look that swept over Thor's face made him burst into uncontrollable laughter and he tried to smother it in Thor's breastplate.

**End Flashback**

Hardly ever did he let himself hear animal noises as words in his regular form because it made it too easy to sympathize with his food. Expect this time it wasn't by choice, the roar turned into words, the other mikilbjorn was coming down the steep valley's side and calling for his mate. Unsheathed Blodbita as he rushed at the twenty-foot tall mikilbjorn.

The mikilbjorn raised himself onto his paws and slashed at him, he ducked under a swipe. As he rolled to the side, he slashed Blodbita up and across its paw before blood welled. He growled as he sprang to his feet and leapt onto the mikilbjorn's back. The white mikilbjorn roared again, throwing them into an evergreen tree when he stabbed the bjorn in its shoulder. His breath rushed out in a ragged huff as he crashed into the snow. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of Gungnir's energy beams moving to slam into the mikilbjorn's muzzle. Father, Laufey, let out an angry roar and thrust the still bloody, ice long sword into its side.

That was when he noticed the overwhelming scent of musk, his pounding heartbeat, his heavy breaths and the deep, trembling chill that was spreading through his body. _'When I'm not with Thor and I don't even want sex, then you show up ? Well, fuck us 'self. Why in Hel do I want to fuck a mikilbjorn ?'_

It frustrated and confused him that when he thought about Thor the urge for sex completely and utterly disappeared. _'It would be nice if I knew what was going on with my own body 'self. Someone must know what's going on with me.'_

A thoroughly embarrassed blush as Father, Laufey, said, "One can always tell when it's mating season on Jotunheim if there is a shapeshifter around. If the shapeshifter is attracted to females, it is supposed to increase the population before the Hailing comes and decimates it. As for you, I suppose it is…simply because you can ?"

Seconds later, he got up and pulled Blodbita from the mikilbjorn's shoulder, replying, "That does **not** help me, Father. What am I supposed to do if I can't concentrate because of some damned animal ? This is both utterly idiotic and humiliating, may we leave now ?"

Both of his fathers assented, before he sheathed Blodbita, then walked to grab the freshly skinned mikilbjorn white-fur bag. The bag was filled with the meat from the mikilbjorn itself that Father, Odin, had killed earlier. Thankfully, he was able to avoid the urge to shift and fuck the thirty-foot long, dark-blue skinned, ice-worm that they passed on the way back to the snowfields and the village. _'Norns, if I had done that I never would have lived it down.'_

Minutes later, when he entered Thor's room, the blond Asgardian was indeed waiting. Pushed the door closed, then growled as he stalked up to the bed. Thor looked dazedly aroused when he crouched over the other prince and pulled him into a rough kiss. Thor murmured as the desperate kiss broke, "What do you need, love ?"

Again, there was nothing when he thought of Thor, remembered what Father had said and he decided to try something, "Growl, just growl !"

That deep, wolf-like growl, the scent of musk and scorched air triggered his lust as he imagined Thor's beard was rough, golden guard-fur. It was odd having to illusion Thor to look like a wolf just so that he could stay interested. However he would never be able to say, much less want to say, that it wasn't worth it.


	23. Fur

Thor didn't know what to think about what had just happened except, _'Ouch. The next time I want Loki-milk, no biting whether accidentally or on purpose. Raw nipples hurt very, very badly. While I am glad Loki is back to his usual, nearly unsatisfiable self. Why did he not want me to speak ?'_

His gaze drifted from the now burnt-out fireplace and back to Loki, "Loki, are you feeling well ?"

Emerald-eyes shifted back to garnet making them look even darker against the pale skin, though otherwise Loki stayed in his Asgardian-form; the black-haired head raised itself slightly off his chest, a slow blink followed by a hummed response of, "Mmhm, perfect."

"You're going to throw me out of bed, again, aren't you ?"

Loki chuckled and he winced when a hand patted his left nipple gently, "Not this time no, it is not **my** bed. As such I have no compulsion to make it perfect. Now, I know that look on your face. You're wondering about my…condition."

He reached up and brushed a strand of hair off the sweat-slicked, high cheekbone, asking, "What happened after you left for the hunt and now ?"

A very dry statement, "I have the most lovely little bit of news for you: it's mating season. That means that unless I think of, and **illusion** you as, an animal - of which I prefer you as a golden-furred wolf - most unfortunately, I feel nothing."

_'I…was not expecting that. So, he wants animals more than me, unless he thinks that I'm one ? I am not even going to try understanding this. Why can't things be bilgesnipe simple ? They would be easier to understand than Sif's jelousy of Loki. Have Hogun and Volstagg joined with Sif or are they on our side ? Like they have always been on Fandral's side.'_

"Oh, well, at least, we were not at home. I would rather you not be mating with disgusting smelling, seven-feet long, furry and antlered bilgesnipes. Not only would it make even you smell horrible, but they would never realize how rare an honour they would be experiencing."

Pale-pink lips twitched into a smile as he gave them a light kiss. When Fandral called, "Are you two quite finished yet ? Not everyone likes being reminded that they're alone here.", he blushed like mad and the Prince of Jotunheim just grinned down at him.

Seconds later, Loki rolled off the bed, then pulled on his kilt and gauntlets as he answered, "Yes, we are. Forgive me, Fandral, but I thought you were getting along with the Lady Lopt just fine or is not she lovely enough for you ?"

"One might say that she disappeared."

"You scared her off ? You must look truly horrifying, my friend."

"Me ? Me ? I am not the one who just had sex for hours on end. So, what night terror do **you** look like, Loki ?"

All three of them started laughing, then after he had wiped himself clean on the fur-blanket, he followed Loki's example and got dressed. The three of them met in Grundsol's room, the alf's Father and Grandmother had left before Loki had returned.

**Flashback**

He stood to the side as Sol and silvering, black-haired Ljsolhilde could leave. The former Queen of Alfheim patted his arm, "Everything will work out, little Thor. Perhaps not in the way you think, but work it will. Keep watch for the son of Grimaflod."

_'Ice-flood, son of Blood-flood, son of mask-flood. I do not think that Jotunheim needs anymore flods, any time soon, there are far too many already. That means that Blodflod is still alive, does he know that Loki is still alive ? If he does is Blodflod going to come after Loki ?'_

In response, he nodded and thanked her for the warning as she passed him. After that warning, it cheered him when he looked into the room to see that Grundsol was finally sitting up like himself and Fandral.

The alf-prince asked, "Thor, how is Fandral ? Did you find Loki, yet ?"

_'Ljsolhilde and Sol left me to tell him ? I suppose they are busy deciding what to do if Sif and her warriors try to invade Alfheim as well with trying to take over Asgard.'_

"Fandral is well and I found Loki. He accepted my apology, but we have bigger things to worry of than that."

Silver-white eyes were confused, "What do you mean by that ?"

"According to Sigr, Fandral's Mother, remember ?"

"Yes, I remember her, she's a good woman."

"Well, according to Sigr, Sif is trying to start a civil war in Asgard and some of the Einherjar have joined her."

Grundsol rubbed at his chest as he replied, "That may be so, but we still have yourself, Heimdall, Loki, Fandral and the others. Perhaps we may even have Jotnar support because of Loki. If it gets dire enough even we may have to involve Eitri and the dwarves."

He shook his head and put a hand on Grundsol's arm, "I don't think it will go that far, Grundsol. She is still our friend first, despite her hating Loki and the Jotnar, I doubt Sif will actually try to kill anyone."

The pale-skinned alf shook his head, worriedly saying, "But, what if she loses all reason and if they do try ? You can not expect us to knock them all out, Thor. N-no matter how much we would loath ourselves for the doing of it, w-we would **have** to kill some of them then."

"Trust me, it will not come to that."

"Well, then I hope we have better luck than your failed prediction on Loki's growing stubble."

"You still remember that story ?"

"Yes and so does Loki, of course."

It made him sigh, because as he thought back - the signs of Loki's being of the Jotnar were many.

**End Flashback**

It surprised him when Loki hugged Grundsol, but not when the jotun uttered, "It's good to see you, my friend. I suppose I have you to thank for convincing Thor to bring Sveimun here ?"

The white and silver clad alf responded, "As I you, Loki, I am glad you were unharmed. And surprisingly, no actually it was not me. That was **all** Thor, I think you finally got through to him somewhere down the line or..." Grundsol grinned over Loki's shoulder at him, "from what Fandral said, should that be up the line ?"

Fandral's hand clapped his shoulder and the lighter-blond whispered, "No one wants to admit it, but they've all wanted Loki at some point or another." Fandral raised his voice back to normal and said to Loki, "Did you know that ?"

Loki stepped back from the the Prince of Alfar and turned to their other friend, "Fandral, I am the God of Mischief, thus being so, how ever could I miss the lusting whispers that dogged my steps ? I think I ruined about...oh, the last number I counted was ten marriages without even doing a thing, doing a being ?,...or lifting a finger."

He couldn't help a short snigger and then chimed in with, "Is it terrible that I am glad you heard them only after we started ?"

Those red-eyes seemed to darken as Loki returned to his jotun-form, "No, but imagine what their reaction would be if I told them that we were together the whole time. Ah, that would be hilarious. I think, Thor, that quite a few people would faint whether it be from: shock, lust or, what the Hel, why not both ? After all it's much better fun that way, it would be like watching a flock of sheep being led off to a dragon's den. I wonder if there were dragons on Jotunheim ? Hmm, I'll have to ask Byleistr when he gets back from the library. Mother and I could repair the snowfields enough so that we could cross, or at least, Hailfalla and I could."

A new jotun's voice said, "I will help you, little brother Loki. I want to see how well your friends know you."

By the jotun's voice it was one of the nine-foot tall ones and when he turned, indeed it was. Like most of the male Jotnar, he was bald, but unlike most of the Jotnar, he wore a silver, black-edged kilt.

Loki replied, "Thank-you, Helblindi. Thor, Grundsol, Fandral, this is my half-brother Helblindi Haskison, Queen's Gaurd."

Shortly after introductions had finished, the five of them were making their way into the entrance hall when Mother's voice said, "Stop right there, you three. None of you are leaving without proper clothing."

Grundsol, Fandral and himself looked up at the right hallway. Mother and Frabauti stood in the hallway, as servants and other flowed around them, they held three cloaks made of darker-blue and grey speckled varg-fur. Loki pushed him towards Mother and even though he was far more than old enough to do it himself, Mother pinned the cloak's white-metal and ruby snowflake embossed brooch closed.

When he turned around Loki was running a hand over the thick cloak and saying, "Hmm, now you really are furry." That white-blue hand moved to tap the brooch, "And it looks like you belong to me as well. It really is too sad that it isn't official though."

All he could do was surpress his amusement and then he led the way outside. Loki and Helblindi took over from the village, sealing the cracks as they did, and onto the snowfields. What remained of the 'fields now ringed a one hundred foot wide chasm of darkness. _'I hope they can fix this, because I don't think that I can fly Helblindi to the other side.'_


	24. Sveimun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oerr - 'Frantic', Svartblar - 'Black-blue'

It felt somehow better to be in an actual animal and Loki moaned as Sveimun thrust into Oerr again. The dark-brown horse shuddered and clenched around him. Sveimun sighed and then said, "Come, Master."

Being in horse-form made it so easy to feel just how powerful he was; he had to be gentler with his second childhood friend than with his first. Blood and the deep pulsing chill pounded in his ears, wounded shoulder and cock when Thor hummed a few feet away. The Asgardian was still watching them as he thrust into Sveimun one last time. When he had finished he dismounted Sveimun, shook his mane out and shifted back to his regular-form.

Thor walked up, the cloak wrapped hands lightly trailed over him. The blond murmured, "I know not what form I like you better as, as they're all so pretty. Well, except for your cow-form which I like for milk."

His remaining pleasure dissipated with a sharp shock of pain from his shoulder.

' _I should_ _ **not**_ _have wanted sex badly enough to dismiss a wound. Especially,_ _ **I should not have wanted sex with my own horse !**_ _Oh, oh Norns help me how many years did he want me to fuck him ? Nornsdamned mating season ! How exactly did I end up with Sveimun and Oerr, again ?'_

**Flashback**

Grundsol and himself were looking for books on dragons, while Fandral wandered up to run a hand over a silver-ice shelf to ask, "How do you make the different colored ices ? I thought ice only came in clear and cloudy ?"

He answered, as he found an illustration of an enormous, white dragon, "You just will it to change to the color you want. It sounds easy yes, but in practice it is incredibly hard. The first time I tried I wanted to do a nice, light-blue and in the end…it was an extremely ugly shade of green. What I didn't know is that you have to consider the type of ice and what type of grain it has."

As he started reading the small notation below the drawing, on the other side of the room

Thor responded, "That sounds like too much work for a simple piece of ice."

One could count on Thor to find one of the only books on ancient Jotnar weapons in the whole library.

Kept reading down the page as he responded, "Well, I was hoping to make something of it for you, since you made that song-bird for me so long ago."

Fandral and Grundsol laughed, "Yes and it would have taken you forever to finish it because it has to be..." Now, Thor joined in as well, " **perfect !** "

Then Thor continued by himself, "Just like with Mother's statue at her three, or was it four ?, thousandth birth celebration. You do remember that don't you ?"

**Flashback**

Annoyed, he clenched his fists and snapped at the two Einherjar, "Get out ! It seems that I will have to do it myself."

Relieved the Einherjar stopped pushing the statue of the dragon Mother had slain three thousand years ago and started scurrying away. Just to spur them along he illusioned some poisonous Svartblar snakes slithering after them.

Thor chuckled as he walked in, watching the Einherjar run out, "Having problems, brother ?"

Sighed as he turned from the onyx and ruby statue to face Thor and growled, "It is Mother's birth celebration, Thor ! It needs to be perfect and they cannot even put it in the right spot, this is **an outrage**!"

They were now alone in the golden dining hall; when Thor reached him a hand rose to rest on his cheekbone. "You cannot blame them for your wanting perfection, Loki. Mother will understand." A brief kiss and then, "Where did you want it ?"

So, Thor and himself finally put it in the right spot...two feet to the right.

**End Flashback**

After a second he nodded and finding nothing in it, closed the book. Then he said, "Yes, I remember. Hmm, perhaps we should go make sure that my Fathers have not destroyed the castle."

Minutes later, they had put the books away and went downstairs out into the open. A jotun that was shorter than Issflod by half a foot ran past. Said jotun was clutching something and as he went past their eyes locked - pink, not any shade of red, but a dull pink. Rage had him running after Blodflod into the snowfields.

Icicles flew from the frost into the air, he dodged all, but one. That one icicle slammed hard into his left shoulder before he fell in the snow. Half-crouched, he snarled and slammed a fist into the snow willing a wall of spiked ice to rise in front of Blodflod; his timing was off and Blodflod only got his arm nicked as he jumped over the wall.

Byleistr and Helblindi ran past smashing through his wall with their own ice. Fandral, Grundsol and Thor stopped beside him. Fandral panted, "Who set you...on fire ?"

He cluched a hand to his shoulder, hissing from pain, "That was Blodflod and he has a **child** ! Why are you standing there, go after them ?!"

Thor slid a cloak-covered arm around his hips and pulled him up, while Fandral shook his head and answered, "We can't Loki, it's getting too cold even with the furs."

_'When Byleistr and Helblindi catch you, Blodflod, you will pay for what you've done. If not today, then tomorrow.'_

As he ignored the pain, they went back to the village then Fandral and Grundsol went to the castle. However, he wanted to check on Sveimun, so he guided Thor to the stables. If confused him when Sveimun wasn't in the giant grey, rock-slab barn or his warm, straw laden stall. It was then he noticed that Oerr was also missing and he walked out the back of the barn into the grass field. The field was magic, made long ago by King Sol and the Alfar so that the horses would be comfortable.

Like he'd thought Sveimun and Oerr were together in the middle of the grass ring. The dark-brown furred stallion had half-mounted the grey mare. Lust flooded him for Sveimun, panting as he walked up - his gaze drifting over the shiny coat and the lean, hard muscles. _'Just look at him, so beautiful and so strong too.'_

Unconsciously, he slid his hand along Sveimun's flank to rest on the horse's hip; hard muscle rippled under his hand as Sveimun took Oerr in a single movement. Even more the mating season took over when he watched Sveimun's hips twitch again. _'Imagine how tight he must be, oh, so very much.'_

That hip swayed and brushed against his own, his already more then half-hard cock twitched and tensed in response. A second later he could swear that the black tail flicked aside like Sveimun was taunting him, beckoning him. Sveimun's whicker turned into words, "Master, please, I want you too. You know not how hard it is having you ride me, but not how I wish you would."

If he hadn't been blinded by lust and been able to think clearly, he would never have done it. As it was, he didn't care because Sveimun wanted to be taken. When he shifted into horse-form pain flared in his shoulder and, once again, it was ignored; this time for Sveimun's delighted moan as he was mounted.

**End Flashback**

Disgusted with himself, he turned to look at Thor and stated, "You should have **stopped me** before I took him ! Never ever, ever let me do that again ! Why did you just stand there and watch ?"

"I wanted to see what I don't get see when we have sex. Even if it was you as a horse."

He rubbed a hand over his face and backed away when Sveimun approached. _'I don't know if I can ever look at him the same way again ! Nor will I ever be able to 'just' ride Sveimun without his reminiscing about this day. He knows that I love Thor as I told him years ago, he was the very first one I told.'_

Spun on his heel and walked away, he would go to the healers; then he would hope that Helblindi and Byleistr had caught Blodflod. Both would be very, very much the distractions he needed after that...encounter.


	25. Emotion

Thor, again, ducked his head into the snow and pulled it out. Scrubbed his face with his hands, now, that everything had, uh, stopped he wished it was an illusion. Yes, he had wanted to see Loki's horse-form, but he hadn't thought it would happen...that graphically. That was far from what he'd expected, he'd thought it would be a run down a hill. Maybe it was an extended illusionary jest of some sort. It had to be considering they hadn't seen each other much lately.

 _'What would have happened if Loki had turned female instead ? Would he have had to stay female if he'd gotten a foal ? Augh, I shall be glad when the mating season is over. Then there will be_ _**no more** _ _animals of any kind having sex with Loki. I thought he would be able to stop himself and then I couldn't stop watching to actually stop him. What I would not give to deal with Sif and her rebellion now ! It would be much easier than this.'_

As he walked into the entrance hall, Father stood waiting in the middle of it. Father raised white eyebrows and asked, "Would you care to tell me what took yourself and Loki so long to return ? I asked Loki when he came in earlier. He just told me the most ridiculous lie about his having sex with a horse."

The blunt way that Father said it made him almost think it had just been an illusion. Except that, why ever would Loki want to have sex with Sveimun, even if it was only an illusion ? It definitely made him wish that finding out about mating season had never happened.

Awkwardly, he shifted his weight and answered, "Ah, Father it may sound like a lie, but it was the truth."

Father's golden armour gleamed in the reflected fire-light, he was looked suspiciously at as Father wondered, "How do you know this, Thor ?"

"I, ah, I...watched it happen."

Before the conversation could get anymore uncomfortable, Helblindi and Byleistr came in. The two nine foot Jotnar dragged between them the jotun called Blodflod.

Byleistr asked, "Prince Thor wouldst thee beest so kind to findeth Prince Yfirloki ?"

It confused him for a second before he understood it. Hoped not to embarrass himself by making as short a reply as possible, "Aye, verily, I wouldst."

_'He'll be in his room. And I just realized that...I don't know where Loki's room is.'_

Still he turned and walked past Father like he knew where he was going. A minute of wandering later, he ran into Hailfalla who asked if he needed anything.

"Yes, I do need something. Do you know where Loki's room is ? Byleistr and Helblindi just came in with Blodflod the Cannibal."

Hailfalla walked past him, "Come with me.", and he turned to follow. They passed many guards and down more glittering ice hallways first down the left, then right, straight and a curving stair to the left. Eventually, they reached a pair of dark-stone double-doors engraved with strange writing.

Hailfalla knocked and then called, "My Prince ?"

Whatever illusion that Loki put in Hailfalla's mind was enough to make him run away.

As the jotun's footsteps faded, he found himself responding, "That wasn't very nice, love."

The soft voice transformed into a cold, venomous hiss, "Go away, Thor !"

Despite the fact he should have known better, he walked closer to the door and pleaded, "Loki, talk to me."

Especially, when the doors flew open with enough force to send him crashing to the floor five feet back. Loki strode out of the enormous chamber, red-eyes flashing angrily and ice spreading as he walked, "How **dare** you to speak of 'nice' when you let me fuck my own horse !"

He scrambled away from Loki and the ice slamming into the wall; raised his hands as he exclaimed, "I am sorry, I know it was stupid. I should not have let it happen just because of my curiosity. **Never** again will I let it happen, I swear ! W-why are you still angry ?"

Loki stopped moving a foot from him and the ice built up around his feet into tiny spikes. The black-haired jotun shook his head and his anger faded into weary sadness, "Did you ever wonder, Thor, where Sleipnir came from ?"

 _'What has Sleipnir to do with anything ? Sleipnir has_ _**everything** _ _to do with it, you dolt ! Sleipnir appeared a year before you started having sex with Loki. Remember those times when he would disappear every few hours ? Obviously, he doesn't have to stay in female form, but I never noticed anything odd about Loki's male form. But, if that's true...how can Father ride Sleipnir as if he's a common horse ?'_

Shock made it hard for him to force the words out, "Sl-Sleipnir...is your son ? Why would you ? Why would Father ?"

The Prince of Jotunheim slid to sit on the floor, his form shifting between Jotnar and Asgardian. Eventually, it settled on the blue-white skin of jotun-form and the emerald-eyes of his Asgardian form. "Yes, he **is** my son and that night is part of why I limit my drinking. I suppressed it and if it weren't for Sleipnir I would gladly forget that it ever happened. I love Sleipnir always, but Svadilfare whenever I saw him after was his own ass to me. Of course, I had to tell Father what happened. He banned Svadilfare from ever returning to Asgard for which I am ever grateful. As for why Father rides him, it's simple. I asked Father not to tell anyone about Sleipnir's origins and he obliged me. At the most I get to see him whenever I wish and talk to him. To try to explain why I'm so different from him most times. Do you know how difficult it is ?"

_'It explains why he's so fond of horses as Sleipnir is one. Though I doubt he'll be so fond of Sveimun ever again.'_

Found himself moving and stroking a hand through Loki's hair. Unlike he'd thought, Loki's skin wasn't cold as he pulled the jotun against his chest. A second later, he mumured, "No, I do not, but I am sure you do a most **wonderful** job. Is that why you reacted so badly when that bandit killed the girl ? You thought it could have been Sleipnir if he were a shapeshifter instead of just a horse ?"

Loki's head leaned against his throat and the jotun replied, "No, Sleipnir was before. It was a very small part though of why I attacked Sandr when he dared to hit Sleipnir."

**Flashback**

The sound of a thwock, a surprised whinny and two crashes. He raced into the stable to see the black-furred, eight-legged colt Sleipnir picking himself up off the floor. Seconds later, his gaze drifted down and over to Loki and Sandr.

Black and red-hair mixed as the two grappled, kicked and punched each other mightily. It suprised, and gladdened, him when Loki managed to pin Sandr to the barn floor. A scrape of metal against leather before Loki had his dagger to Sandr's throat, snarling, "How dare you ! How dare you hit my...my Father's horse !"

"It's a horse, it doesn't care ! Oh, wait you're a shapeshifting horse freak."

Green-eyes glared through the fallen bangs, but instead of slitting Sandr's throat, Loki reversed his grip and slammed the hilt up into Sandr's jaw. Loki smoothed his hair back and sheathed his dagger to get up and check on the colt.

**End Flashback**

He nodded, pressing a kiss to the soft hair and said, "That explains why you hesitated. You were going to call him your son instead. Speaking of things that happened, you should know that Helblindi and Byleistr came back with that Blodflod. They're waiting in the entrance hall for us."

That caused Loki's head to jerk up into his chin, "What ?! They got him ? Well, what ever are we waiting for ?"

Loki moved away and willed the chamber doors closed, before he rose to pull him to his feet. So, they started downstairs.


	26. Blood

Loki as he and Thor walked down the staircase wondered, _'I-is true ? Could the giant that owned Svadilfare be Blodflod ? Was Blodflod the reason he found me that night ? Only two Jotnar I know of have pink-eyes and they are 'flods. How I hate Svadilfare that damned, arrogant, bastard. I would love to kill him even moreso now.'_

**Flashback**

Once again, Svadilfare's muzzle slammed into his back and knocked him down. A mocking nibble on his hair, before the eight-foot tall horse murmured, "Did you like me inside you, little one ? You seemed to or would you still ? Shall we find out ?"

Humilated tears blurred the oak trees as a hoof-tip pawed at his back. _'I am_ _ **never**_ _ **ever**_ _going to get that drunk again. Not ever ! He knows where I am so illusions won't work. Once again, he's too damned heavy !'_

Suddenly a bilgesnipe bellowed and he twisted out from under Svadilfare's hoof as the antlered beast rushed the giant dark-grey horse. By the time he'd gotten a few feet away, the bilgesnipe's antlers had slammed into Svadilfare's side with a wet crunching sound. The horse kicked forward with his back-right leg hitting the bilgesnipe. Blood ran down Svadilfare's side as the bilgesnipe ripped its antlers out...like Svadilfare had from him.

_'Thank the Norns that bilgesnipes are so territorial. Thank-you, bilgesnipe, for letting me get away.'_

He turned from the fight and started running towards home. The trees further blurred when the tears fell, he only dimly noticed the Medina passing by until he slammed into something. His breath left in a huff as Father lifted his chin to look at him. Concern in that blue-eye before Father asked, "What is wrong, Loki ?"

Haltingly, he explained, "A few days ago, I stayed behind when Thor left the drinking hall with Fandral. Of course, being myself, I thought that I would be fine alone. That was not the case as I was far too drunk to think clearly. Being unsteady, I shifted into my horse-form. Not caring that it was my female horse-form and started back toward the palace. I-I was waylaid by Svadilfare. I-I didn't know what was happening at first when he approached." Unconsciously, he started crying again and shaking, "I was too drunk to fight back, to even try...th-then he was too heavy a-and i-it was too late. Far, far too late and now he's taunting me with it always. H-he just threatened me again with it. Whoever heard of a Prince of Asgard being raped ? Much less by a horse **as** a horse ? Who would believe me if I told them ? No one would, but you **have** to believe me, Father !"

A hand ran through his hair and he noticed that they were in an isolated clearing off the palace gardens. Father replied, "It is **not** your fault this happened to you, Loki. It was Svadilfare who took advantage of you and my fault for failing to protect you. Had I not called off the Medina's Einherjar one of them could have brought you back. This never should have happened and I swear it will never happen again to you, my son."

Slowly, Father let go of him, when had Father started holding him ?, and walked towards the clearing's exit. Father roared, "Commander Tyr, Einherjar Olaf, find the horse called Svadilfare ! When you find him, escort him to the Bifrost and inform him that he is banned from ever returning to Asgard on my order. If he resists...kill him !"

**End Flashback**

Himself and Thor had reached the floor, it was easy for him now to find his way around the castle and he took the lead. The thought of getting revenge on Blodflod whether he was Svadilfare's owner or not was sweet. When he got through with Blodflod the cannibal would be either dead or eating grool the rest of his days. In his excitement it didn't take long for him to reach the entrance hall.

Just to make sure of his first thought, he shifted back into his Asgardian-form. A second of seeing Blodflod was all he needed to remember the odd pink-eyes that looked down on him when Svadilfare first introduced himself. Angry, he stalked up to Blodflod and demaned, "Do you remember me ?!"

Blodflod laughed then sneered, "You're the little freak that Svadilfare fucked all those years ago. Do you having dreams of being horse-fucked, little bitch ?"

Helblindi and Byleistr snarled their grips tightening on Blodflod's arms and forced him to kneel. It was very satisfying when he kicked Blodflod in the balls and smirked as he replied, "Actually, Blodflod, I'm the one doing the fucking now.", laughing when the pink-eyed jotun screamed.

Thor chuckled, "That you are, that you are."

Father walked up to punch Blodflod in the face, "After my father saved your life on Midgard this is how you repay him ? You kidnap his grandson ? You taunt dare taunt my Yfirloki ?" That followed by another punch to the face from both Father and himself.

Pink-eyes glared at them, "Get fucked by Svadilfare, again !", before Blodflod growled and spat blood on the floor.

In response, he ordered, "Take him to the dungeons and leave him to rot."

Byleistr and Helblind enthusiastically responded, "Yes, my Prince !", before dragging Blodflod away down the right hallway.

_'If only it would be so easy to deal with Sif. We have to go back to Asgard and find out what's going on. I have to know what's happened to Sleipnir without myself or Father there to protect him. Sleipnir has to be okay, he must be. If something happened to him I swear I will kill Sif.'_


	27. Plans

As Thor looked from where Blodflod was being dragged away and down at Loki, he wondered how so many horrid things could happen to Loki. _'He never did anything to deserve this fate ! To have so much innocence ripped away at once. Is that part of why he always wants so much sex ? Is it a way to prove that Svadilfare didn't scare him away from it ?'_

"Even a Norn can become overwhelmed."

Both himself and Loki whirled to see that a seven-foot tall female jotun in an ash-bark robe stood behind them near the throne room doors. Her blond-hair was waist-length and her eyes were silver, except for her pupils which were ringed in ruby; how sad and tortured those eyes were by all the ever-changing horrors to come.

Loki demanded, "Who are you ?!", reaching for Blodbita as he did Mjolnir.

She held up her hands and continued, "My name is Skuld, I am Norn of Futures. They say that that my sisters and I are cruel mistresses, but it tortures us just the same as you. When one changes one's decisions a whole new future wipes out the old. What I do know for sure is that the House of Odin's fate has always been entwined with that of Grimaflod. Ever since your uncle Villi was killled and eaten by Grimaflod."

_'That's what happened to Uncle Villi ? No wonder that Father hated the Jotnar.'_

Still he shook his head, "That does not explain why you let it happen to him ! **Why** ?!" His shouting echoed off the twenty foot, dark-blue ice ceiling. Part of him wondered why there weren't any guards showing up, but Skuld was one of the Norns who knew what she could do.

Skuld's face was filled with self-loathing as she approached Loki, "I hated myself for not stopping what happened to you; as I do when I see any of my children lose their innocence so horribly. That terrible night Svadilfare and Blodflod changed their plans so many times that even I couldn't keep up. They hated Asgard and wanted it destroyed, they figured if they could demoralize the Asgardians - first it was just supposed to be murder, then rape before it changed to both and then back to just murder - it would be easier to destroy. It didn't matter to them which of you it was, but they wanted Loki because he was smaller, they thought he was weaker-"

A bitter interruption, "Funny how that worked out is it not ? I was always the weaker one and Svadilfare proved it."

He turned to give Loki a horror-filled look, _'How can he say that ? It happened to him, yes, but he was strong enough to survive ! He hardly told anyone and yet he overcame it. He didn't end up in Hel because he couldn't handle it and- '_

Skuld and himself both exclaimed, " **No** , you're not !"

The Norn of Futures took Loki's hand and continued, "Like so many others, your rape was a tragedy that I could not stop, but if it had not happened things would have turned out far, far worse. Loki, if you hadn't been waylaid by Svadilfare - you would have made it home where Sif would have murdured you in your room. Thor would have come in and seeing you dead, he would have killed her and she wouldn't have needed saving from that rabid deer. That rabid deer would have infected a bilgesnipe and the bilgesnipes would have started destroying Asgard. Thusly allowing Laufey to invade, to murder Odin for your kidnapping and take the Casket. While Blodflod feasted on the House of Odin's corpses, King Sol would have gone to war with Laufey over Asgard's destruction. Both of them would have killed each other...then Muspelheim would have taken over the other Worlds. Because you had Sleipnir and lived you avenged little Morgil and saved so many other children from dying; because of that you even saved Sandr when Thor threw him in the lake because it would have devastated you if he were Sleipnir."

Again, he pulled Loki into another embrace, this one much tighter than the first. _'He's alive, he's alive !'_ The feeling of Loki's breathing, that scent of bitter cold and something sweet as the Prince of Jotunheim leaned back was a relief; not a word passed between them then, it wasn't needed.

Fandral broke the silence, "What're you two doing standing here ? I heard the others caught Blodflod. Shouldn't you two be killing him or some such ?"

_'Two ? What does he mean two ? Skuld is...not there.'_

His eyes had opened to see that besides Fandral they were indeed alone in the entrance hall.

Not moving from his embrace, Loki replied, "We are not stuping to his level, Fandral. We would be doing him a favour if we killed him. He will live with what he has done. If I find Svadilfare however he is going to die painfully, very, **very** painfully."

When another pink-eyed jotun appeared Mjolnir slammed into the jotun with enough force to just knock him out. Now Loki did move away from him to crouch over the jotun, "Thor, that's Issflod, while he is indeed the son of Blodflod, he's not like the rest of his family. He's a good jotun, just like Hailfalla is."

Embarrassed, he caught Mjolnir and then Father and Mother walked up. Mother asked, "Thor, Loki are you going to be joining your father, Fandral, Grundsol and I to go home ?"

He and Loki both answered that they would be, but Loki wanted to say good-bye to the others first. _'Hopefully, we'll finally be able to figure out Sif's plans and stop her from hurting anyone.'_


	28. Revenge

Loki had just finished saying good-bye when he noticed that Thor was missing. Confused, he looked from his fathers, Mothers and friends to see that Thor truly was gone. _'Don't tell me he went to find Blodflod. Skuld damn it, did he not listen to what I ordered ? Did he deliberately mishear me ? Or does he want revenge for me that badly ?'_

"Father, where are the dungeons ?"

"They are in the lowest level, of course. Why ?"

Spun on his heel and started after Helblindi, Byleistr, Blodflod and Thor as he responded, "I think that Thor is going to kill Blodflod."

Father took the lead and as the others followed them down a long spiralled stair, the ice turned from frosted to black and lit with strange torches. When he put his hand over one torch, it didn't give off any heat somehow it was a cold flame. At the sound of smashing, they all raced down the stairs into the dungeons. They were just in time to see Mjolnir slam into the side of Blodflod's head and crush it.

Tiredly, he rubbed his face, "Thor, I told Helblindi and Byleistr to throw him in the dungeons for a reason. Not so that you could kill him two seconds later."

The longer bearded blond exclaimed, "He threatened to eat you and have you... Loki, how can you-?!", trailing off as he turned to look at them.

"Well, you seemed fine with my decision a few minutes ago."

"Look at what he did to all those people - Jotnar and Asgardians, Loki. A-and if that were not enough that monster h-he **watched** what that Hel-damned horse-! He helped Svadilfare to-"

Mother, Frigga, asked, "He helped Svadilfare to do what ? Loki ?"

He grimaced as he walked past everyone out of the dungeons, there was no need for the prisoners to know what had happened to him. When they had gotten to an isolated part of the staircase as Grundsol and Fandral gave him worried looks, he answered, "Years ago, Blodflod had Svadilfare...he had that damned horse rape me. He wanted to demoralize Asgard so that it would be easier to destroy because he thought they would empathize with me when I told Father what happened."

Everyone who hadn't already known gasped or stared. All except for Father, Laufey, who let out a furious roar, "Throw the damned fire-lover's body into the chasm !", and punched the wall causing cracks up and down its length.

Minutes later as they walked further into the Bifrost's chamber, it relieved him to see that Asgard was still in one piece. Yet years of built up anger exploded when he saw Svadilfare stood on the rainbow bridge. With a roar, he rushed past Heimdall at the dark-grey horse unsheathing Blodbita as he went.

Svadilfare reared to kick through an illusion. As he'd really dodged to the side, he jumped to slash down the horse's side. Blodbita sliced right down through the bilgesnipe's scars and to the bone. Svadilfare screamed in agony and he laughed, "Your Master is dead, Svadilfare and you join him in Hel shortly."

The dark-grey horse huffed as he fell heavily on his side, "So, what does that matter ? You won't be seeing much of **our** dearest, little son. I'll be seeing more of my master than you will of Sleipnir for a very long time."

He snarled and raced past the dying horse across the bridge. _'Sleipnir has to be **alive** ! He must be, he must be alive.'_


	29. Tears

Thor along with Father, Mother, Fandral and Grundsol raced after Loki. The Prince of Jotunheim didn't seem to see the people in his way or else wise shoved them out-of-the-way. From the route, it seemed like Loki was heading to the stables, _'Did something happen to Sleipnir ? It must have.'_

Seconds after the jotun had disappeared into the barn there was a horrified scream of, " **Sleipnir !** "

They thundered into the silver barn, up to Sleipnir's stable and Loki was already knelt beside his son. The black-furred, eight-legged horse was missing huge patches of fur, it had burnt away leaving raw or charred skin in its place. White-blue hands ran over the horse's body covering it in ice and trying to reduce the swelling, the pain. There was a ragged whimper of, "S-Sleipnir ? Sleipnir, say something…anything, **please !** ", making it quite clear that Loki was justifiably in tears.

Father moved to crouch beside the two before running a hand over the horse's body. Silence for a moment, before Father said heavily, "I am so sorry, Loki, but his mind…it is gone. The pain was too much for him to handle, even a regular horse has more a mind than Sleipnir now."

Loki's response was a roar of denial, "No !" That said before his love put his head beside Sleipnir's staring into the pain-glazed, dark-eyes. A hand visibly shaking as Loki raised it to stroke his son's neck. "No, no, not my baby, not him. Who did this ?" Swift movement as Loki rose before there was an angrier, louder roar, " **Who did this to my son !?** "

Sandr's voice came from behind them, "It was one of the Einherjar. I don't know if it was on his own or if it was on Sif's orders, but I know it was one of them. Sleipnir injured him before he could get away, Heimdall caught both the Einherjar and that great grey-horse when they went to leave."

He turned to look at the red-haired Asgardian, Sandr, of course, looked incredibly confused by Loki's actions. Grundsol and Fandral both looked stunned by what had happened in the last few minutes.

Father emerged from Sleipnir's stall and asked, "Where did Heimdall put the prisoner ?"

Sandr bowed as he replied, "In the prison, of course, my King."

"Good, I will speak with him. Are you coming as well, Thor ?"

"No, Father, I would stay with Loki and Sleipnir."

Mother, Grundsol and Fandral replied that they would stay as well before Father and Sandr left. Loki had gone back to sitting at Sleipnir's side and stroking the black mane. _'I must say I'm glad that Sleipnir looks more like Loki than Svadilfare. I know Loki still would have loved him, but he probably would have ended up doing what Father did and being standoff-ish. Svadilfare is dead at the least and finding out about today explains those nightmares he would have sometimes. Why he never wanted to talk about them - if it wasn't about little Morgil, it was probably about Svadilfare.'_

**Flashback**

It was the whimpering and shaking that woke him. As he blinked awake, he saw Loki had moved away slightly from him. He reached out to put a hand on Loki's shoulder to which the black-haired Asgardian flinched away with a startled cry.

While he asked, "What is it, brother ?", Loki took deep, shuddering breaths. He gently pulled his brother close again, his arm wrapping around the pale-chest loosely.

Starlight gleamed off the side of the pale throat as Loki turned to burrow against him. Pale-pink lips brushed the underside of his jaw and followed a murmured, "It is nothing, Thor."

Tried not to be distracted that easily when he wondered, "Are you sure ?", while a hand trailed down his stomach.

Teeth grazed his throat, "I am. Now, come.", and that hand stroked him tightly.

_'He really has far too much lust in that lithe body of his.'_

**End Flashback**

When he joined the others in Sleipnir's stall, Mother was murmuring something in Loki's ear. The blue-white skinned head nodded before resting against Mother's chest.

Grundsol said, "Queen Frigga, surely there must be something that can be done for Sleipnir."

Mother replied, "I don't know, Grundsol, just like how Sleipnir came about, this has never happened in Asgard's history before. Perhaps in time he will regain his mind, perhaps if we could see if he is truly a shapeshifter instead of simply a horse we could do something."

Loki wiped away his tears, then sniffled before stating, "Sleipnir **is** far smarter than a normal horse, he wanted to see if he could shapeshift like myself. I told him that it was too dangerous, that if anyone saw him they would try to kill him. Yet, now someone tries to kill him anyway."

A seconds silence later, he stated, "Father will find out why, Loki and that Einherjar will never leave that prison. Sleipnir **will** get better, have hope, my love."

The eight-legged horse let out a soft nicker and stretched his neck towards Loki. Slowly, he reached out a hand to run it along Sleipnir's first left leg which still had fur on it. _'You must get better. He needs you to get well for both of your sakes. Please, Skuld, you said you regret not being able to stop what happened to Loki. Well, have mercy and help us save his son.'_


	30. Swear

Loki pressed a kiss to Sleipnir's forelock and nearly bare forehead. Those beautiful dark green-grey eyes were still nearly mindless. It hurt to think that his son might never talk to him again. Mother, Frigga, was still in Asgard; Thor and Grundsol were helping her to look for a spell that would help Sleipnir as was Mother, Frabauti, here in Jotunheim.

Varr asked, from the next stable over, "Why don't **I** get one ?"

He turned to glare at his horse then he snarled, "You manipulate me, Varr, and then you **dare** to ask why ? How could you do that knowing what I went through with Svadilfare ?"

In turn, Varr ducked his head and swished his tail. Guiltily, the horse answered, "I know that, I just couldn't stand to see you like that. I asked you if you wanted me and you said yes. I just wanted you to be happy, Master."

"You mean, Varr, that you wanted to sate yourself of me at my expense."

Before Varr could respond, the jotun Naeriss's voice asked, "What happened to that horse, my Prince ?"

Sighed as he looked up at the seven-foot jotun, "Sleipnir is my son. One of the Asgardian Einherjar burnt him because of finding out I am a jotun."

_'If I had yet possessed Ymir's Casket I could have stopped the swelling and such in its tracks. The Casket, it possesses Ymir's magic, perhaps it could help us somehow if I tried to use it.'_

Naeriss shook his head in disgust, "I may not like you, Loki, but you are my Prince and Laufey my King. If you wish war with Asgard then I swear that I will go with you to Heilagriss."

"No, Naeriss, the one who did this will never see the light of Asgard again. The one who started this has shown her remorse. She will help us stop this. Those who now want to attack Asgard are rebels. It is my father's decision that we will help Odin and the Asgardians if they call on us."

**Flashback**

Beside him, Thor suddenly growled, "What do you want, Sif ?!"

Sif's answer was remorseful, "Never did I think he would do it. Had I known he meant to truly harm the Lokison I would have stopped him. I didn't like that look in his eye and I should have."

Slowly, he got up then turned and walked out of the stall to look at her. The words, "How do you know he is my son ?", were harsh and she flinched.

The already pale-skinned woman's face turned more so as she launched into a tale. "On a whim that night, if you had shown up, drunk as I was, I would have killed you. Barely I managed to resist that urge and I left the palace to go for a walk. I tried going around the jotun when I noticed him. As he would not let me, I tried to stab him, but I couldn't aim true. The stab went wide and gashed him in the side, he caught me and disarmed me.," Sif walked up to look at him, grief clear in her grey-eyes as she continued. "He told me to watch the downfall of Asgard, if I hadn't drunk so much I could have stopped it. When I found out you were a jotun too, s-somehow my mind twisted it and made me think you had staged it with him. I never should have thought that it was horrible of me and I am so **sorry**. Now, despite my telling them to stop the rogue Einherjar and such refuse to stop. I have truly started a civil war in Asgard that never should have been. I dreamed of treason and now by proxy I have **commited** it ! I am a disgrace to Asgard. If you would not kill me then throw me in the dungeons; I deserve not mercy of any kind for what I have allowed."

It startled him that Sif, who had already broken to tears, suddenly threw herself at his feet. _'What do I do ? She tried to stop Blodflod and failed...Skuld_ _ **did**_ _try to stop what happened to me. It is obvious she already tortures herself enough as is. Throwing her in prison would change nothing as would killing her. Let her regain herself by helping to end what she started.'_

He crouched and lifted her chin to state, "Sif, never have we been the best of friends, but you helped me once. I repay it now, help us to end what you have started. If you think you are a disgrace then regain your honour by helping us bring justice for Sleipnir by telling Father what happened."

Sif nodded and rose, "I swear that I will help to stop this no matter what I must do."

**End Flashback**

Naeriss replied, "As His Majesty orders. Has Prince Sleipnir pressing needs ?"

It further pained him when Sleipnir whinnied, but no words were in it, just sound. Flinched slightly as he stated, "No, but we are trying to find some way to help him. Send for my father, I would speak with him urgently."

With, "Yes, right away, my Prince.", Naeriss turned and ran out of the grey stone barn. All he had do now was wait. Wait and hope that just maybe Ymir's Casket would be able to help Sleipnir.


	31. Parting

Like back in Alfheim's library, Thor looked at another sunlit page and wondered, "If we find a spell how do we know it will work ?"

Beside him, Grundsol sighed, "We don't, Thor, but we can't give up."

From across the light-golden walled library, Fandral called, "Thor, what happened to that thing's body ?"

"It will go off a skiff and get thrown into space or most of it. On Loki's suggestion we are keeping part of it."

Confusion in Fandral's voice, "Why ever would you want to keep something with such awful deeds in its history ?"

"So that the victims of Svadilfare know he is dead, that they are safe now...forever."

**Flashback**

He stopped beside Loki and Sleipnir as the two eyed the Bifrost bridge. Sleipnir's eighth left leg and sixth right leg shook from the burns and exhaustion.

Loki whispered, "It's not that far now, Sleipnir, you can make it." Sleipnir did not even twitch his ears in response, the black-furred and raw-skinned horse just started walking again.

When they approached Svadilfare's corspe they stopped for another pause. Sleipnir reacted for the first time since he'd gotten burnt, the black horse reared and slammed his four front legs down on Svadilfare's side. Because of Loki's use of Blodbita he could actually see the grey horse's ribs cracking. That was when Loki started laughing; it was, again, not the fully happy laughter he was familiar with, it was happy, but there also was a slight hysterical edge to it.

Yet, again, Loki spoke in a whisper, those garnet-eyes bright, "He's gone, he's **really gone** ! Thor, he didn't care who he raped or where and he's ruined over a hundred lives all over the Worlds. Throw his body into space, but keep part of it so that when the word spreads and they come for reassurance they will know he is dead. That Svadilfare the Monster is forever trapped in the coldest, darkest and mistiest part of Hel."

"Of course, they deserve to have their peace. To know that their tormentor's end came at the hand of one of his former victims."

As they continued to the Bifrost, Sleipnir had already entered the chamber, his thoughts were wistful, but resigned. _'No memories of rape or fire exist in Jotunheim, they would be far happier there. With everything that has happened will either of them ever come back ? Loki should not have to traumatize himself just so that I can be comfortable here in Asgard.'_

Before Loki could enter the chamber he took the blue-skinned hand and his love stopped. Slowly, he turned the jotun to face him, "I-I wish you would stay here with me, b-but with all that ha-has happened...yourself and Sleipnir y-you would have a better life in Jotunheim...w-without me. Whatever you decide, I love you."

By now, Loki was crying too, except that Loki's tears were freezing on his skin. So quickly he barely noticed it the kiss started and ended, followed by, "I love you, too." The Prince of Jotunheim pulled his hand away before he disappeared into the Bifrost's chamber.

**End Flashback**

Mother asked, "So, what part did you take ?", from a few feet away.

A very Loki-like smirk came over him as he quipped, "It had a tiny brain, it had tinier balls...and now everyone can see them."

That quip brought laughter from everyone, then Grundsol exclaimed, "I think I found something !"

Mother, Fandral and he all rushed over to Grundsol. _'Atangan, to joy ? Even if it wouldn't help Sleipnir perhaps we could use it to try to find Guardsman Maurr's sister. What name would the sister of 'Ant' have ? I should go back to Vanaheim and ask him. We might find his sister where the others failed.'_

He blurted, "Mother, Grundsol try that spell whilst I go to Vanaheim. When I return you can tell me what happened.", and turned to leave the library.

Fandral asked, "Why are you leaving ?"

In response, he called back, "To talk to Guardsman Maurr about his sister.", as he rushed through the doors. It confused him when he slammed into Einherjar Olaf. Olaf, who for some reason stood by the door, startled to see him. When he remembered Olaf's reaction to Loki it prompted, "Who's side are you on, Einherjar !? Our King's or the damned Ginarrar ?"

Olaf growled, "I am **not** a betrayer, I am loyal to my King and Asgard alone !", as his brown-eyes glowed angrily.

Satisfied, he continued past the annoying Asgardian and towards the Bifrost. _'Skuld, you have helped us get justice for Loki and many others and we thank you. Now, let us bring some for old Maurr's sister.'_


	32. Casket - Part 2

Loki still shifted his weight cracking the ice that had built up because of impatience as Father finally walked into the barn. Father tilted his head and asked, concerned, "I did not expect you to call on me so soon. Is something wrong with Sleipnir ?"

He shook his head, looking back at his son, "No, Father, he is...fine. Did not Mother say that Ymir's Casket contained all Ymir's magic ?"

Father ran a hand over his green-black kilt and said, "Yes, it does. Before you got it back for us Jotunheim was crumbling from the bottom up and now we can repair it finally. You have a plan or a theory, at least, regarding my grandson ?"

His gaze drifted over the dark-grey stone walls and the rafters. Wind whistled through the open half-door as he said, "Of course, I think as I seem to have nearly Ymir's abilites with ice and wind magic, that I could help him shift by channeling it through the Casket." Furrowed his eyebrows as he continued, "Why have you not fixed Jotunheim before now ?"

"You brought Ymir's Casket back, Yfirloki, it is only fair that you have an even greater part in restoring Jotunheim with me. After you try to help Sleipnir shift then we can restore our home."

_'Home ? Jotunheim is my home now, but Asgard has also been for far longer. I can make myself go back to help Thor, could I stay for longer though ? Thor said it himself he does not want me to stay in Asgard. Sleipnir's wounds physical, mental and emotional are far too fresh and if he were to go back, they might never heal. I could never abandon him with Mother, Father and Hailfalla to go and gallivant with Thor in Asgard.'_

Despite his thoughts, Father's words made him smile. For the first time, he noticed the odd dot and rune tatoos on Father's body. It reminded him of the even odder symbols in the veins on his forehead - two circles and two triangles. _'That book of Thrudgelmir's it mentioned that as all Jotnar have scales, so do they have, at least, one tatoo. Are the veins supposed to be a map for a tattoo ? I already those blue ridges on my eye-lids and stomach after all. I'm kind of surprised that Thor has never mentioned them.'_

Father moved his hands in front of his chest in a small box shape moving outward and then Ymir's Casket appeared. Gently, he took the Casket from Father, who then opened the door of Sleipnir's straw-covered stable, and he walked in. Almost lifeless, dark green-grey eyes stayed on him as he shifted the dark-blue and white casket into one arm to reach out to touch his son; it heartened him when Sleipnir still did not fear him. He focused on his own and Ymir's magic and willed it through the Casket to find Sleipnir's jotun-form if it existed.

With a mixture of anxiousness and giddiness from the magic after a few minutes he cut the flow. Then he decided to try making it disappear - the Casket floated and shrunk as he did the gestures. It was enough to make him exclaim, "How did it disappear like that ?"

A slight chuckle from Father and then he was serious, "When it was made at the end of his life Great Ymir and the Jotnar were nomads. He wanted Thrudgelmir to know that he was loved and protected always and gave it to him. After, Great Ymir walked into the East Mountains to live out his last days and Thrudgelmir encased him in ice after his death. As Great Ymir knew it would slow them, he put a spell on the Casket that it would disappear into Heilagriss for safe-keeping. Ever since it has belonged to us, to protect and love it, until it was stolen and returned."

"Is Heilagriss not supposed to be a spiritual place ?"

Slowly, Father moved to stand beside him then his hair was brushed off his forehead. While the symbols were gently traced, Father said, "There are two places called Heilagriss, my son - one is the physical, the very first temple of Ymir where the coronations used to take place, and the second is spiritual like the Asgardians Valhalla."

 _'_ _ **Used** _ _to take place ? That does not sound good, at all. So, if Ymir's Casket goes into the spiritual Heilagriss, how could he access it even with his magic ? Hmm, I suppose it will never be understandable to us or the Asgardians.'_

His gaze moved to Sleipnir who twitched his ears in response. Slowly, he traced his own symbol onto Sleipnir's forehead, trying to imagine what the black-horse would look like as a jotun. "What does the symbol on my forehead mean if anything ?"

Father smiled again, "It is a rare symbol to appear on a jotun's body - the twin circles are ice and the triangles being on the inside mean strength. So, it is the perfect symbol for you as you have the strength of the ice like Great Ymir did. Let us go restore Jotunheim to its old glory in Heilagriss."

"Where is Heilagriss ?"

"In the East Mountains, of course. Perhaps when we return something good will have happened with little Sleipnir."

Hopeful, he half-reluctantly said good-bye to Sleipnir. The snowfields as he and Father crossed them seemed tinted green in the light of Jotunheim's moon. _'Funny, isn't it ? How I didn't notice, the ever-present, moon until we go somewhere that sounds dangerous. Grundsol must have gotten very lucky as I don't think there is much sunlight to ever touch Jotunheim.'_


	33. Maurr

Thor smiled and hugged Aunt Freyr as Uncle Harold's greying, black-hair shone in the sunlight. _'I hoped they would understand and they do. I just wish that Loki could have explained it himself. At least, he will still be able to come here to visit them without ending up reminded of what happened. If I can not go to Jotunheim for whatever reason, perhaps he can come here as Vanaheim does not get nearly as hot as Asgard does.'_

While he moved back, Uncle Harold grasped his forearm and murmured, "We care not that our little nephew Loki is of the Jotnar. We just hope and pray the Norns that he and Sleipnir will be safe. If you need our help as always you will have it. Guardsman Maurr is at his post as ever."

"Thank-you, Uncle Harold, Aunt Freyr, it will mean a great deal to Loki. At the least you must go introduce yourselves to Sleipnir sometime. According to the one time I caught he and Loki, ah, 'talking' Sleipnir knows quite a few swears or he used to."

**Flashback**

Fljotr was ridiculously scared of ants. Why ? Because he had gotten bit by some when he'd run away once. Of course, there had to be a stream of ants crossing in front of the barn doors.

Behind them Sleipnir had just let out a long whicker and he twisted to look at the eight-legged horse. Loki stood in front of Sleipnir's stall looking shocked. The black-haired Asgardian exclaimed, "Sleipnir, for shame ! Where did you learn those swears ? It is inappropriate to swear at your age !"

Sleipnir's glossy fur glowed as the horse flicked his ears and gently headbutted Loki. Father's horse let out a neigh; it was shortly followed by Loki's disbelieving, "I had no idea Father swore at all, much less that he knew so many. Still you can not repeat those, you are the king's horse and you should behave as such, whether Father does or not."

The conversation made him shake his head in disbelief. That was when Fljotr started pulling him forward, at last, the ants had passed. So, he mounted the white horse and they rode out of the barn.

**End Flashback**

Uncle Harold chuckled, "That does not surprise me. Boys need to grow into men and the decrease of swearing is an indicator of it. You have done quite well in that regard, Thor as you used to have quite the dirty tongue.", his brown-eyes alight with amusement.

Those memories made him blush and he nodded, "That I have, Uncle, that I have. I shall go to see the Guardsman, now."

With their permission, he quickly made his way to the palace's throne room. The biege walls were dimly lit with torches and brightened by sunlight. Guardsman Maurr still in his silver and black-armour almost stepped away from the door.

So, that Maurr would not have to leave his post, he walked up to the door and greeted, "It is a good day, Gaurdsman Maurr."

The Vanir returned, "That it is, Prince Thor, the Norns have smiled and given us blessed weather." Maurr's golden, grey-flecked eyes were anxious as he asked, "Have you word of my sister or of your brother ?"

_'I never noticed that Maurr looks very similar to Heimdall with those golden-eyes. Is Maurr a cousin of Heimdall's or perhaps a son ? They do have the same brown-skin and their noses look similar to each other.'_

Shook his thoughts off and tried to reassure the central orb's guard, "We found Loki and he is safe, also we found out that he is truly the lost Prince of Jotunheim. Also, Prince Grundsol and my mother found a spell that could, we hope, find your sister. First though, it would help to know your sister's name."

Maurr looked shocked at his first news, but held his tongue until he finished, "I am glad that he, at least, is safe. When I was a boy, I was friends with a jotun called Hailsturm and, his brother, I think they were brothers, Ennsturm. Out of season they would make snow. Haust and I had plenty of snow fights on those days." Maurr chuckled sadly as he finished, "She would beat me without trying every time. Please, Prince Thor, if you can, bring Haust back alive. Our mother died without knowing if she still lived."

_'The sister of 'Ant' is 'Autumn' ? I suppose ants could be busy in autumn. How horrid it must have been for the mother of Maurr and Haust. I can only imagine what Loki would have done had Sleipnir died from his burns instead of living.'_

Solemnly, he replied, "I swearest to thee, Orb Guardsman Maurr, that if mine abilities alloweth that I willst bring thy sister Haust back alive."

After Maur had thanked him, he left the palace, anxious to see if the atangan would work to find Haust. When he exited the Bifrost...Asgard was in chaos.


	34. Heilagriss

Loki stared up at the almost two-hundred feet tall Heilagriss. The main hall was of dark-sapphire and ruby ice, spiraling upward from the temple's left and right wings were two towers. On top of the towers stood two fifty foot, snowflakes made of silver. Behind himself and Father, Heilagriss was surrounded by a thick, one-hundred foot gate topped with sharpend ice-stakes.

His gaze drifted back down and around the courtyard. Mainly to a group of frozen mikilbjorn that slashed at a rearing, one-hundred foot long and fish-like, blue and silver-scaled dragon with webbed feet. Norns, how he wanted to go look at the dragon. What a terrifying, magnificent, beast it was even dead.

Beside him, Father summoned Ymir's Casket and handed it to him. After which there was a faint grinding as Father threw open the dark-ruby doors and moved aside. Father opened his arms as he announced, "Yfirloki Laufeyson, Crown Prince of Jotunheim, enter this day Heilagriss and know that Great Ymir Amuthumblason loves you as I do."

Nervously, he swallowed the lump in his throat and walked into the cavernous, dark-blue iced main hall. A sense of warmth wrapped around him as he noticed the green shadow of a giant snowflake fell over the grey-stone altar. Father left the doors open as he entered the temple, meanwhile he put Ymir's Casket onto the altar.

He asked, "How is this going to happen ?" when Father started to approach the altar leaving the doors open.

Father replied, "You already know how to channel magic through Ymir's Casket. We will do the same, but on a far grander scale. We will make Great Ymir proud." With that said Father moved to stand on his other side and rest his hands on top of the Casket. Before he closed his eyes, he noticed how much darker Father's skin was than his. _'Perhaps...my skin will get darker yet ? Is it something about temperature when Jotnar grow-up that causes it because nearly everyone else is very dark-blue or, at least, a middling shade.'_

Then he pushed those thoughts away and summoned his ice magic, pushing it into the Casket. Along with the sense of giddiness the Casket itself felt even more powerful now. Even more magic joined his and Ymir's, Father's. It almost felt like, no, he **was** sliding along with it as Father directed the magic into the altar.

He/Father/Ymir/they spread from the center outward and downward their unstoppable power filling the runes in the altar as they rushed joyfully, but purposefully into the ground. They passed through the ancient ice, rocks, through everything the imprint of thousands of memories - of love, betrayal, bloodshed and more - flowed through their mind. Unintentionally, they awoke mikilbjorn along with other animals and discovered that as most of the females were pregnant the mating season was now over. They flowed down the familiar channels, caves and tunnels into Jotunheim's core. What they found was...wrong, so wrong and deeply horrifying, the bottom part of it and the **whole planet** had disappeared ! _'How can we live knowing our kin cannot roam at will ? We cannot, will not allow it, it will be repaired.'_

Horror assuaged as their magic rushed through the core refreezing it. The assuagement turned into an unbelievable joy as they rushed down and burst outward refreezing, reforming and/or rejoining the shattered and/or crumbling pieces of Jotunheim. Having returned their home to how it once was and how it always should be, they felt like laughing. As quickly as they had entered, they retreated back to the Casket.

It was odd separating and becoming his own self again. His first thought, _'Oh, thank-you Skuld, I don't have to imagine Thor as a wolf anymore ! If only I could tell him, I shall go to Asgard after checking on Sleipnir. Perhaps, Sleipnir will come with.'_

When he opened his eyes, he gasped because stood behind Father was Ymir. The jotun's spirit was incredibly dark-blue and twenty-some feet tall with glowing, blood-red eyes, the runes on Ymir's forehead were, indeed, the same as his, but they glowed with scintillating magic. Ymir smiled briefly down at him, then faded into dark/middling-blue and white-energy that swirled around himself and Father before flowing upward to disappear through the snow-flake.

Father looked both awed and relieved as he shrunk Ymir's Casket, then wondered, "Shall we return home ?"

Still giddy, he nodded and, once again, time couldn't pass fast enough. One moment, they passed the dragon and mikilbjorn and the next mountain passes and valleys blurred before they were on the icefields. Stood beside Issflod and Hailfalla was a jotun he didn't recognize. At just over eight and a half-feet tall the new jotun loomed over all of them and white scars of varying thickness covered most of his body. Long, black-hair fell into dark-garnet eyes that weren't familiar in color, but...he knew them anyway. No matter what form the rest of Sleipnir took, he'd always know those eyes.

Even more confirmation as Sleipnir called, " **Father !** " joyously.

Nearly dizzy with relief, he ran towards Sleipnir shouting his name in return. Dimly, he realized he'd collided with his son, but he was too busy sobbing to care. _'Oh,_ _ **Sleipnir !**_ _My beautiful, little Sleipnir is healed ! Thank-you Skuld, Ymir, thank-you.'_


	35. Fire - Part 2

Thor was in disbelief as skiffs, energy-bolts and fire-balls flew overhead and crashed into each other with a huge explosion. Everywhere Einherjar and citizens were fighting rebels and Eldjotnar.

Heimdall shouted, " **Thor !** One of the rebels made a deal with Muspelheim, they invaded through a fire-portal. Fandral, Grundsol and Frigga are trying to fight their way out of the library ! One of the eldjotun just set it on fire." as he thrust his sword through a kneeling seven-foot eldjotun's heart.

Worried and angered, he threw Mjolnir over Heimdall's shoulder into the face of a charging eldjotun. As the hammer returned to him as quickly as he could he flew toward the library, dodging crashing skiffs, falling buildings and such. Forty, eight and nine-foot tall, Eldjotnar warriors surrounded the library, the white-hot fire flowing from their hands had started to melt the bottom of the walls.

_'I don't see them. Have they escaped, are they still trapped and injured ?'_

He summoned a storm and willed the lightning to snake from one warrior to the next...it stunned them for a second only. One of the Eldjotnar growled in annoyance, then he dove as a jet of flame rushed towards him. The flames leaping from the library sizzled and hissed as the rain hit, but refused to go out. _'Heimdall, you need to get Loki and the Jotnar, we cannot defeat the Eldjotnar and their fires alone. They could help Healer Eir and the others treat any burn victims as well.'_

All he could do was hope that the Bifrost bridge would be clear and Heimdall could send someone quickly. Like the Jotnar would've burst into ice-like chunks if hit by Mjolnir, so the Eldjotnar did into lava-like ones as he smashed through orange-skinned chests and emerald-eyed heads. The rebels who'd been near-by had long since fled with golden-armoured Einherjar chasing after them.

Sandr and Sif rushed up to him as he landed in front of the library. Sandr exclaimed, "They have Daell ! One of those Eldjotnar grabbed him and took him to the palace as a hostage. Thor, you have to save him !"

Thor replied, "If you two can keep the rebels away from here after I free Mother and the others I will try. Skuld alone knows, but the Jotnar may be coming to help us."

Sif nodded, "We can do that." A group of Einherjar led by Olaf thundered up to stand in front of them. Sif barked, "Who do you serve ?" at them.

While they answered with Father's name, he spun on his heel and willed the rain to intensify as he spun Mjolnir around to make great gusts of wind. With the combined power of both the rain and wind the flames **started** to die down, but it wasn't nearly enough.

An illusion of Mother appeared, part of Mother's face, hair and her light-blue dress had turned black with ash. Mother looked relieved to see him unharmed and said, "Thor, the doors are too hot to touch. Also, most of us were wounded by the Eldjotnar who came through the flames. Still, Grundsol managed to blind them with the fire's light and we managed to kill them."

Ice crept around his feet before Laufey called, "Move aside, Odinson, the Jotnar are here."

He moved to the side and turned to see the ice thickening as quite a few of the Jotnar approached, Sif and Sandr also moved aside quickly. It was not hard to see why, most of the Jotnar were intimdating - either wounded or bleeding thick, blue-black blood - their eyes glowing eerily against the storm blackened sky.

First was Loki clad in a dark-green, black-edged kilt and gauntlets. A dark-blue welt spread width-wise across his collar-bones. The Crown Prince of Jotunheim carried Blodbita which was half-melted by an eldjotun. Second was Laufey in his dark-green/black kilt, shoulder armour, gauntlets and an ice-helmet holding the Casket of Ancient Winters. Laufey was bleeding dark-blue/black from a deep slash on his left-cheek and the side of his face. Beside them was an eight-foot some and hugely scarred jotun with black-hair. The strange jotun was also clad in a dark-green, black-edged kilt.

Arrayed behind Loki, Laufey and the stranger were the Jotnar Hailfalla and Issflod with the Royal Guards Ennsturm and Hailsturm. It was odd seeing Issflod's pinkish-red eyes when all the others had some shade of red.

_'Maurr said Ennsturm and Hailsturm used to play with himself and Haust. Do they know something about what happened with Haust ? Could they help us find her after this ?'_

Loki, Laufey and the stranger stopped in unison. Laufey raised the Casket before a stream of ice flowed from it freezing all the rain-drops it touched. The white-flames were exstingushed in a thick layer of ice that Laufey manuvered to cover the whole front of the library. Without any word being exchanged, Ennsturm and Hailsturm walked up to try to smash through the ice. It took them quite a few blows to do, so thick was it, like himself.

When the strange jotun approached him he tensed on instinct. Then he peered up, looking for something familiar in the jotun's fire-scarred face. Despite the, heh, giant height difference, the thick scar from the left-side of his hair line down to his lip and the patchy scars he saw Loki. Of course, with Loki's looking so much like Laufey, Sleipnir looked similar to Laufey as well. Mainly, it was the high-cheekbones, the eyes and the ears as Sleipnir leaned down. That was when he noticed some of Sleipnir's eye-brows were burnt-off.

Thor exclaimed, " **Sleipnir !?** Y-you're...a-a jotun and you're sane, again."

With simple familiarity, Sleipnir stated, "Hello, Uncle Thor."

Sleipnir's voice shocked him, he'd expected something soft like Loki's, instead, it was deep like a Jotunheim chasm. His gaze moved from Loki's son to Loki himself and Laufey. While Laufey's face remained still as the ice he'd summoned, a proud grin had spread across Loki's own. _'H-how did this happened so fast ? What sort of magic could do this ? I-'_ Everything started to slide and then went black.


	36. Sleipnir

Loki shook his head with a chuckle as he crouched over Thor. The now half-slush, half-rain covered beige cobble stone path gleamed in the slowly fading lightning flashes. _'I didn't think that he would actually black out.'_

Sleipnir's hand covered Thor's whole shoulder as he gently shook the blond. At the sound of movement from the library, he looked up. Mother partially covered in ash limped out of the library with Fandral supporting her. Fandral had taken a fire-sword through the shoulder and Grundsol had plenty of dried blood in his incredibly-pale blond-hair.

Mother gasped, "Oh, Sleipnir !" when she saw Sleipnir and started towards them. Thor suddenly brushed a hand over his welt causing him to look down. Before he pulled Thor up, blue-eyes blinked up at him in amazement. Thor obviously hadn't expected him to return so soon.

Loki replied, "I wanted you to meet him, it was just a coincidence that there happened to be an attack." _'Damn that eldjotun, now I have to repair Blodbita. I'll never be able to restore it back to the sharpness at which it started.'_

**Flashback**

He shoved Sleipnir down and the fire-sword crackled above their heads. Before he jumped at the eldjotun, he covered his hands in ice. Even so, the eldjotun's skin burned as they collided and slammed into the bridge. Before he could recover, the eldjotun slapped a hand on Blodbita pinning the knife to the bridge. With gritted teeth, trying to ignore the crushing weight and the budding embers, he bucked trying to use his greater strength to throw him off. It didn't work as the eldjotun hung on anyway.

The sword was laid across his chest, fresh flames blazed as the eldjotun pressed down on it hard. It felt like the fire had climbed to his throat, the heat was suffocating him and agony raced through his body. Sleipnir's foot slammed into the eldjotun's head throwing it away. As the eldjotun's body arched through the air, Father hit it with an ice-stream from Ymir's Casket. Said eldjotun froze solid before it landed and shattered on the bridge.

Coughing and gasping as he drew in gulps of air and raindrops the burning disappeared. Slowly, he rolled onto his hands and knees, his chest ached dully. When he saw what the eldjotun had done to Blodbita, he slammed a fist into the bridge - a stream of ice appeared on the bridge and icicles shot out of it to sparkle in the rain.

_'Hey, I did it !'_

Sleipnir helped him up and Father called, "Loki, Sleipnir, Ennsturm, Hailsturm come. Thor needs our help."

Father walked past himself and Sleipnir, they fell into step. Hailfalla who'd just killed a rebel trying to slice Issflod's back open, twisted to look at them. Ennsturm and Hailsturm already stood at the end of the Bifrost bridge waiting. _'They really know how Father thinks don't they ?'_

Hailfalla broke in, "Your Majesty, I wish to continue accompanying His Majesty the Crown Prince. Issflod does as well."

Father gave his short approval, then took the knife from him to inspect it as they walked. Father murmured, "Your Grandfather used Blodbita to save Blodflod from a rampaging mikilbjorn that would have killed him. A waste of good ice Blodflod was, damn the fire-lover."

More people, civillians armed with hastily made halberds of hunting-knives lashed to metal poles, ran towards them. In a second, he'd retaken his Asgardian-form and stopped. Said civillians stopped when he did, they didn't know what to do.

Loki took Blodbita back from Father, lit the tip with the frost-fire of Jotunheim and waved it.

Loki stated, "We are your allies and they," Here he waved at the oncoming Eldjotnar, "are the enemy." He threw Blodbita, the emerald-fire blazed as it slammed into the first eldjotun's chest. It half-surprised him when the frost-fire, just like the Casket, froze the eldjotun solid.

After, he and Father froze the rest, then Sleipnir shifted into horse-form and shattered the Eldjotnar. When he retrieved Blodbita, he returned to his real form and they continued toward the library. In the distance, the light of a huge fire was visible on the horizion. _'We're coming, just hold on, we'll be there soon.'_

**End Flashback**

Mother leaned up hug Sleipnir and his son returned the hug. Mother stroked Sleipnir's cheek before she said, "It's so good to see you. Even better we don't need Loki to translate everything now. Oh, look at you, Sleipnir, such a handsome boy just like your mother."

As Grundsol and Fandral walked up, the darker-blond wondered, "Am I the only one who thinks that sounds odd ? I mean, Loki birthed Sleipnir, yes, but he's male now. If Sleipnir has children how is he going to explain it ?"

Sleipnir countered, "I will tell them what Father told me, Uncle Fandral. Heh, right, Mother ?"

Slowly, Sleipnir released Mother and stood up. That was when Mother hugged himself and Thor, they hugged her back.

"Either way, you are talking about me. We don't need to mention that horse-shaped **thing** until they are old enough to understand it. For all we know, you may be able to shift sex as well."

Off to the side, by the oak railing, Sandr blurted, "What are we going to do about Daell ?"

_'Daell ? What has happened to him ? He and Sleipnir got along quite well, despite Daell's not knowing the truth.'_

Sleipnir turned to look at the red-haired man. His son angrily rumbled, "What happened to little Daell ? Did an eldjotun take him ?"

Sandr and Sif explained to himself, Father, Hailfalla and the others that Surtur himself had kidnapped Daell and stormed the throne room with his guards. Since Surtur had Daell, Father that was Odin, and the Einherjar hadn't been able to retaliate without fear of harming him too.

It was agreed that Hailsturm and Ennsturm would guard the library so that the near-by injured would have a safe place. Fandral and Mother would also be staying behind. So, she, at least, would be safe if they failed. With Father that was Laufey, Hailfalla, Issflod, himself and Sleipnir plus Sif, Thor and Grundsol it didn't seem likely. Especially, since they had Ymir's Casket.

_'Byleistr, Helblindi and Mother wanted Sleipnir to stay home. Now, if we free Daell it'll help to have not just Sandr, but Sleipnir as well to calm him down.'_

While they walked through Asgard, he took out Blodbita and repaired it before sliding Blodbita back into it's sheathe. In front of them, Sleipnir, Hailfalla and Issflod were staring about themselves in amazment still.

Issflod asked, "Does it look different now, Sleipnir ?"

Sleipnir replied, "It certainly looks a lot smaller and I can trip more easily now. Hailfalla, have you seen anything like this before ?"

"No, I've never even been to Niflheim, much less any place warmer like Asgard. I like this rain though, it makes nice ice."

Thunder rumbled once more over head before the storm finally died. It seemed that most of the Eldjotnar and rebels had surrendered and were being led toward the dungeons. If not, they lay dead on the streets among the rubble with all the other bodies whether honourable or dishonourable. Sleipnir was accepting a new knife from Father, unlike Blodbita, Sleipnir's first knife had been completely melted by an eldjotun's fire.

Thor, who was staring at Sleipnir, wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Thor's lips brushed against his cheek and murmured, "Thank-you for coming to introduce him to me personally. I wonder what young Daell will think of Sleipnir's jotun-self."

That made Loki chuckle, "You're welcome and Daell will not care. Now, like himself and Mother, Sleipnir and his young friend will actually be able to understand each other. It is more how amazed will our Father be ?"

Everyone else fell silent and drifted back to let himself and Thor take the lead. Thor let go of him as they approached the palace doors. The Einherjar led by Olaf who stood outside looked wary and weary both as they approached. Einherjar Olaf and the others bowed to Thor before letting them pass inside.

One of Father's hands landed on his shoulder and ice swept over his chest, cooling him and healing his wounds. In the sconces, the fires flared near to the ceiling and it was still far too hot even with Father's ice. To compound it all, besides the sound of their footsteps, the flames were magically silenced and the palace was eerily quiet.


	37. Forn

It had already been hot in the rest of the palace, but it was even more so as Thor started into the fifty-feet wide and long throne room. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he, Loki and everyone else stopped on the outer-edge of the room in shock. Near-by, Father and the Einherjar were in the far corner, held at bay, by the Eldjotnar. Before them, the nine and some-foot tall King of Muspelheim lounged on Father's throne. Surtur's cold, black-green eyes glowed in triumph as he spotted Grundsol, himself and Laufey. A terrified Daell sat hostage on Surtur's lap with an orange/red-skinned hand wrapped around his tiny throat.

Daell squeaked, "Father, help !"

_'Father did say that Surtur was unpredictable. Well, he just kidnapped a child to steal a throne he doesn't need.'_

Sandr roared, "Let him go, you **monster**!" and tried to rush forward. As he remembered the enormous fireball that Surtur had thrown at himself, Fandral and Grundsol he caught Sandr's arm. The red-haired, tan-skinned man jerked to an abrupt stop.

He hissed, "Sandr, it will not help Daell if Surtur burns you to death in front of him !" Then he actually hissed as Sandr stomped on his foot. Suddenly, Laufey started past himself, Sandr and Loki to walk down the dark-red carpet.

Loki exclaimed, "Father, **no**! Let Thor handle this, it is his home, after all. You don't need to risk yourself."

It was Sleipnir and Hailfalla who lunged and grabbed hold of Loki. Their attempts to stop his love were useless as Loki simply started pulling them along instead.

Laufey's, "Be silent, Son." stopped Loki in his tracks half-way down the carpet. Their frantic acts just made Surtur laugh in disdain. He, Grundsol, Sif, Issflod and Sandr quickly moved to stand around the three lighter/middling blue-skinned Jotnar.

_'What are we doing ? What is Laufey going to do ?'_

The dark-blue skinned King of Jotunheim stopped five feet from Surtur. Laufey intoned, "Surtur Forn. What quarrel has the King of Muspelheim with a child ? Asgard itself, I can see. It produces people who are arrogant as they come and destructive as they leave - but a mere child ?"

Everyone, but especially Sandr and Sleipnir tensed when Surtur drew his finger across Daell's throat. Surtur tsked then said, "Laufey, Laufey, the child is nothing. The Asgardians stole not only Ymir's Casket from you, but your own son. You needed my help to return your precious Yfirloki to you, so why are you helping them now ? I find that far more of a betrayal than my conquering the all-powerful Allfather by threatening a child."

Laufey unsheathed the carven ice-sword on his belt and spun it a few times. "I am helping them because I will not have anyone, even an Asgardian, go through what I did. You have conquered no one Surtur, your Eldjotnar have surrendered and the rebels are captured. Let the child go and you just may return to Muspelheim yet."

A chilling laugh left Surtur's lips before the ancient one flicked his free hand carelessly, a circle of fire sprang up around them. Above the roaring of the fire, Surtur's voice echoed. "As I have the means, why do I not just kill the House of Ymir and the House of Odin at once ?"

Sleipnir started whimpering and shaking as the fire flickered. Ice covered the rug and floor as everyone pressed against each other, but like the library the fire refused to go out. Loki snarled, " **No !** " before a huge gust of icy wind and snow burst out of from his love.

The fire died in an instant and Sleipnir shifted into horse-form before racing towards Father, the Einherjar and the Eldjotnar. Sleipnir reared and slammed both his front and middle sets of hooves into one of the Eldjotnar's chests. Hailfalla and Issflod rushed to Sleipnir and the others aid.

Meanwhile, a stream of lava was leaving Surtur's hand and a stream of ice was leaving Laufey's. Surtur's bright-red/orange fire was slowly, but steadily being forced back by the pure white ice. _'Laufey can't keep that up forever ! If it gets too close the ice will freeze Daell. We can't help without hurting him either.'_

Sandr rushed past Laufey, they followed and Loki threw a hand up before another gust of wind sprang up. The gust disrupted Surtur's fire and without that to stop it Laufey's ice slammed into the fire-giant's face. Sandr leaped up the steps three at a time, to chop through one of Surtur's knees with his axe. In response, the King of Muspelheim punched Sandr who went flying off the throne to crash into the marble floor. Seconds later, Sandr was scrambling for his axe.

Not knowing what to do, he turned to look at the rest of the fight. It horrified him to see that an eldjotun had Sleipnir, still in horse-form, in a head-lock. Again, without thought Mjolnir left his hand to slam into, and through, the eldjotun's head. Grundsol stabbed an eldjotun in the back of the thigh before Father stabbed it in the chest with Gungnir. Hailfalla an ice-sword extending from his arm was parrying a fire-sword. Mjolnir returned to him, he ran, jumped and landed on a fallen eldjotun's back to slam the hammer into the eldjotun's neck. When he looked up, the Einherjar were swarming the last eight-foot eldjotun.

Sleipnir gave a shrill scream of fright. It prompted him to turn and see what was happening with Surtur. Loki was hanging off Surtur's right arm which was turning black with frost. Surtur snarled and punched Loki in the face with a flame-covered fist. Loki flew back and crashed into a pillar cracking it in half from the force.

As he sprang off the eldjotun's back, he flew toward Loki and the pillar. While he did that, Laufey sprang to the throne's arm to slam his sword flat down on Surtur's arm which shattered. Dimly, he noticed Daell scrambling away to fall down the throne's steps. Jotunheim's Crown Prince was barely conscious, his head lolling amid shattered stone. Worriedly, he knelt, dropped Mjolnir and scooped Loki up. Long-eyelashes fluttered, then he noticed an imprint of Surtur's knuckles seared into Loki's left cheek. It looked like Loki's nose had broken as well.

Laufey suddenly roared, "Surtur Forn is dead !"

That prompted a slightly pained smile from Loki. Thor asked, "Shouldn't you heal yourself, love ?"

Loki shook his head and stated, "Father has scars from a mikilbjorn, it was the first one Father killed on his own. I helped to kill Surtur and I'll keep the burns to prove it."

Finally, he twisted to see Laufey holding Surtur's severed head on a plate of ice.

_'Laufey already had scars ? Is that what those were ? I thought they part of his face tattoo. Is Loki going to get a tattoo now ? That would be interesting. Father, Sleipnir, Loki and I can go back with the others to the library and check on Mother then I can **finally** talk with Hailsturm and Ennsturm.'_


	38. Aftermath

Loki looked up as Thor helped him up and Father, Odin, approached. Father took his hand then slipped something on his index finger. While Father did that he said, "I should have returned it to you many years ago, like I should have told you of your heritage. I hope you can forgive me for keeping it so long."

Confused, he raised his hand to see the white-metal and ruby-dragon ring that Eitri had given him years ago. Loki replied, "It is fine, Father. After all, I never said **when** you had to return it." with a smile, wincing as it pulled his still stinging cheek.

Father laughed and smiled back, "True, even back then you were a tricky little creature."

Meanwhile, Father, Laufey, had descended from the throne after kicking Surtur's body over the edge. Surtur's body landed with a thud before it turned into a pile of faintly glowing ashes.

Sleipnir asked, "How are you little Daell ?"

It made him laugh when Daell gasped, "Sleipnir ? Y-your huge and you're...not a horse. Where'd your legs go ? Are you all right ?"

Sandr answered, "He is well, Daell, far better than he was."

Grundsol, Hailfalla, Issflod and the Einherjar were boasting about how many Eldjotnar they'd killed. Over Father's shoulder, he watched Sleipnir crouch to hug the little one.

With Surtur's death the fires in the sconces had shrunk to their normal size and he let the ice covering his body melt. Suddenly, Thor's fingers were running through his hair and picking out pieces of stone.

Thor hummed, "I remember when I first saw Sleipnir, he was such a tiny thing."

He nodded and agreed, "That he was, not so much now, but he was. It's how he got named 'Slippery' because he just, well, slipped right out, thank Skuld. Little Sleipnir, oh, he was the most adorable little foal ever."

**Flashback**

Between licking straw off Sleipnir's face and nibbling the tiny mane clean, he called his little son's name. Very dark greenish-black eyes blinked open before a curious echo, "Sleipnir ?"

Exhausted, barely standing as he was from the birthing pains, it made Loki chuckle. "Sleipnir is you, dear one. I'm your mother, now drink, Sleipnir."

"Hehe, I'm a Sleipnir, I'm a Sleipnir. Ooo."

Sleipnir, his ears and tail flicking, got up on eight wobbly legs and half-fell/half-tottered over the straw-covered floor to the door. Father had returned to check on himself, Eir and now Sleipnir. It amused him when Father leaned down to look at his grandson and Sleipnir leaned up, grabbed Father's beard then started to chew on it.

Eir was smothering her laughter as he walked up to nudge his son into releasing Father's beard. Father smiled before just smoothing his beard, that blue-eye amused.

"Sleipnir, this is Odin, your grandfather. You're not supposed to try eating other horses manes and people's be-, uh, face manes."

Sleipnir just sneezed before bursting into laughter, then rushed over to nose Eir. The dark-haired woman just watched with a gentle smile. His son exclaimed, "Is this a **Grandfather** too, Mother !?"

_'Oh my, is it possible to die of laughter ? I think I just might. He's so beautiful, so innocent and he has no idea that he came from the most horrifying circumstances I've ever known. Sleipnir will learn to love everyone and that no means no. I'll make sure that he's nothing like that monster, he'll be better than Svadilfare.'_

With a headshake and apologetic smile to Father, he turned then gently countered. "Sleipnir, this is Healer Eir, she is a woman like I am." _'At the moment, but you won't need to understand that for a long time.'_

As Sleipnir walked on now steady legs back to him, he continued, "A grandfather is your father's father. Your grandmother is your mother's mother. You'll meet your grandmother soon, now come drink. Ouch, gently, Sleipnir."

_'At least, unlike Thor, Sleipnir actually has to drink to live. Thor just has some odd sexual fascination with it.'_

Eventually, Sleipnir stopped suckling and fell asleep. That was when Eir wondered, "Are you feeling well, Loki ?"

It took a second before he could shift back into his male Asgardian-form. While there was still a faint twinge of pain it was manageable. "I am well, Eir. I'm just glad I won't have all those legs kicking me, now."

Father entered the stall with a dark-green robe and helped him into it. Father murmured, "He's a beautiful grandfoal, Loki. What are you going to call him ?"

Slowly, he knelt to ran a hand over Sleipnir's cheek, "Thank-you, Father. I am going to call him Sleipnir."

"Sleipnir Lokison, it is a good name if I've ever heard one. Though, I would much appreciate it if you never had to give birth again. Unless you truly wished to, of course. Your mother will love him."

**End Flashback**

He startled when Father, Laufey, spoke from beside him. "Frabauti and I would have loved to help raise him if we'd known. Hmm, Odin, we could have hunted Svadilfare and Blodflod together. So, Thor, do you have any adopted children hiding somewhere ?"

Thor's arm slid around his waist, "No, but we could sometime. We should go to the library."

So, they all started, again, toward the library after Father, Laufey, handed Surtur's head to one of the Einherjar. Now, the sky was storm cloud free and sparkling with millions of stars. His fathers talked about what they would have done, it was quite creative and very amusing. Sandr had Daell up on his shoulder, Daell and Sleipnir were talking about one of Daell's friends. They passed groups of Einherjar who were carrying people to the healing room, while civillians with buckets of water and compresses along with Jotnar were treating burns. For a second, he thought he saw Byleistr and Helblindi before his half-brothers vanished out of sight.

Hailfalla, on Thor's other side, with Issflod and Grundsol wondered, "Grundsol, what's it like on Alfheim ?"

"Sunny."

That obviously stumped Hailfalla, "What's the sun look like ?"

"It's really bright like gold, it's a bigger version of what I did with the Eldjotnar."

Issflod muttered, "Naeriss could have told you that, Hailfalla, if he wasn't an ass."

When they got to the library, whose path was now slush and snow free, Thor let go of him and headed straight for Ennsturm and Hailsturm.

Mother, her limp having healed itself, walked out of the library's entrance and up to him. She raised and ran a hand over the burns. "Loki, what happened ?"

"Surtur punched me through a pillar."

Fandral huffed, "Well, I hope someone killed that mad bastard."

He and Grundsol responded, "He's dead."

A few feet away, Thor demanded, "Ennsturm, do you remember the Vanir Maurr and Haust ?"

Ennsturm thought for a moment, "Yes, they were little ones when we first met them. What of them ?"

"Haust has been missing for the last two thousand years."

Hailsturm frowned, "Missing ? She didn't return to Vanaheim from Jotunheim ? She should have...unless Blodflod found her."

Issflod walked up, "Vanir ? There was a Vanir living with the High Priestess, they raised me after I fled from my birth family."

_'What's this about Maurr having a sister ? Didn't Father and I go past the High Priestess house going to Heilagriss ? I think we did, I didn't see anyone else there.'_

When he'd excused himself from Mother and Fandral, he asked about the situation. In the end, Thor asked if he could take them to the High Priestess house because he didn't want Grundsol to use the "Atangan." spell, unless they were sure who it was. Of course, he said yes because Maurr had helped Thor and Grundsol to find him.


	39. Sky

Thor's gaze drifted to Guardsman Maurr, the Vanir almost looked excited as they walked along a twisting path through the East Mountains. That was when he tripped over a rock and almost fell into a chasm before Loki caught him.

Loki chuckled, "I thought you already fell for me once ? You don't need to make it permanent." while pulling him back up.

_'That rock way down there looks like a cow. It's not not my pretty cow though.'_

Thor snickered as he eyed Maurr and Laufey ahead of them and Loki let go of him. "I did for you, milk, the one time you accidentally kicked me in the face before you let me have milk."

A mock-sigh and Loki rolled his eyes, "Fine, I will let you have some later."

_'Yay, Loki-milk !'_

Quickly, they caught up to Maurr and the King of Jotunheim. Suddenly, a rasping caterwaul came from a ledge above them as rocks clattered down. He looked up to see an enormous, pure-white cat with dark-blue rosettes and dark-rose eyes was baring its fangs at them.

Seconds later, Loki in a pure-black cat form let loose his own rasping growl his tail lashing. The white cat leaped down to start circling around them, well, trying to as Loki swatted it in the face and sent it crashing into the mountainside. Hissing, its fur fluffed up and ears back, the white cat scrambled up and retreated.

_'Maybe it wanted milk too ? What am I saying, of course it didn't. After all, that things not like Sleipnir.'_

Laufey asked, "What did it want Loki ?"

After Loki shifted back, he answered slightly worried, "He attacked Sveimun. Also, he wanted me off his territory."

He scoffed, for the third time running a hand over Mjolnir wanting to smash Sveimun into a bloody pulp. _'If I were Loki I wouldn't bother too much worrying about Sveimun, but they have been friends for a long time, even longer than Fljotr and I. If Loki can forgive Sveimun then I suppose I can too.'_

A female voice asked, "Did you scare off my Amattr, young Yfirloki ?"

His gaze drifted to an eight-foot tall, white-haired, wise-looking female jotun. She wore a sapphire, ruby-edged and white-fringed kilt and shawl as she stood before Laufey and Maurr. There was a necklace of fine, bright-silver ice that ended in a giant, near translucent talon hanging around her neck.

Laufey greeted, "Heill High Priestess. I am sure that Amttr will come back when Yfirloki is gone."

The High Priestess walked past her king with a nod and up to Loki with a smile. "I am High Priestess Saeriss. You, Yfirloki, can call me Edda. Oh look at you, I can see my father, Thrudgelmir, and my little brother in you. It's been so long since Bergelmir died, I wish he could have seen you come home. Of which Ymir told me that you are here about the girl, I will take you to her."

_'Great-grandmother. Are Saeriss's parents not Loki's great-grandparents or is she merely that old that they are his great-great grandparents ? I'm starting to think that the Jotnar live too long for comprehension. Still, she remembers Haust if nothing else. How did Saeriss come across Haust ? Why did she not send her home ? Unless, Saeriss thought that she was a shapeshifter like Loki.'_

Saeriss turned before again passing Laufey and Maurr, they followed as Loki looked baffled. Loki murmured, "I have too many new family members, Thor. My fathers and mothers, Sleipnir, Byleistr and Helblindi and Edda along with, in spirit, my three great's grandfather."

"I don't count anymore?"

They made their way up a well-hidden, wide, but twisting path carved into the mountain's side. Small, silver, dark-red streaked and egg-shaped flowers with feathery petals covered the path.

Loki's eyes briefly flashed green in surprise. "You really want to court your brother that badly ?" A laugh followed with a smirk, "Shall I add it to your...quirks ?"

As he answered, "Well, there's a certain allure to it, like pretending I'm your varg." he crouched to pull out one of the flowers. When he rose and put it in Loki's hair, he noticed that the petals also had tiny scales on them.

_'He'll like that when he notices it.'_

Jotunheim's Crown Prince hummed and leaned in when he lightly traced the scarred cheek. More laughter, followed by, "I suppose it will disappoint you then that the mating season is over. Unless you don't care."

"I don't. Do **you** want that ?"

Loki half-bit his lip, looking him over before saying, "For you, I think I still could yes. Hmm, since it's over why do you think Sveimun was out here ?"

"Perhaps he wanted some time to himself."

It startled them both, Loki's nose slamming into his plam, when Laufey called back to them. "Thor, how long did you touch that flower ?" The King of Jotunheim had stopped twenty feet before yet another twist in the path which had turned into a dark-grey stone valley.

"Five seconds, why ?"

That seemed to relieve the king, "Good, we don't need you to die from the poison."

" **What !** Poison ?"

Even further up ahead around the bend, Saeriss burst into laughter. The woman's voice echoed back to them, "The Wyrm flower is not poisonous, Odinson. It merely means that Laufey likes you."

Following after Laufey and Maurr, they kept winding their way up towards the peak. With an askance glance at Loki, Thor muttered, "I thought that he already liked me."

"It's a jest, Thor, besides you know that he does. Excuse me for a moment, love, I want to ask her about that necklace."

Loki sprinted past the others. "Edda, is that talon from a dragon ? Possibly one from the dragon that's frozen in Heilagriss ?"

_'So, he finally found a dragon ? Heh, all our lives he's been looking and he finds one in his birth home. This looks like it would've been quite an appropriate place for a dragon to live.'_

They'd crested a short ridge in the path and it suddenly opened up into a hundred foot wide plateau the left side of which dropped right off the mountain. Meanwhile, the right side rose first into a fifty foot tall and sixty feet wide cave and then into the mountain's claw-like peak. Sveimun almost meekly walked out of the empty cavern, so some magic was in place.

Everyone else stopped before the cave, but he wandered over to the edge. Off to the right was a two hundred foot building, what was likely, the Heilagriss silhouetted against the sky. Snow swirled around them and even he had to admit that set amid the starry sky, seemingly resting perfectly between the mountains and snowfields, the emerald moon and Heilagriss were gorgeous.

Sveimun whickered softly to Loki whose reply floated away as wind joined the snow. He turned to see Sveimun with his head on Loki's shoulder, Maurr was pacing back and forth while Laufey just watched Saeriss.

After the wind stopped Saeriss answered, "It is, Yfirloki, but not from Heilagriss. One day, when I had only been Apprentice Priestess for a short while, one day High Priestess Fyrir sent me to look for a dragon skull for Bergelmir's coming of age ceremony. I went all over Jotunheim looking for one until Great Ymir appeared to me, he showed me the way to this cave. Inside it rested two enormous skeletons - one a mikilbjorn and the other a winged wyrm's, which ever one of them won also lost. Many years passed before I thought of the place again, until I was High Priestess and was going constantly from the castle to Heilagriss. Tired of spending my days at Heilagriss only to walk always back at night, I decided to move into the cave. Two days later, a young woman bleeding heavily from a cut in her chest stumbled onto my threshold before loosing consciousness. When I healed her, she refused to speak and her writing was incomphrensible. As I didn't know where she came from, I refused to send her away as she had come upon me at dawn I called her Sk. Never has Sky said a word, not even when young Issflod came to us only, oddly, flinching when he said Blodflod's name, until this morning. When that horse appeared and seeing that it injured far worse than she once was, she actually called my name. Come here, Sky, some would meet you."

A dark-brown skinned, grey-eyed woman with waist-length black-hair and dressed in white furs emerged from the cave.

Maurr looking distressed, countered, "Her name isn't Sky, it's Haust. My name is Maurr Heimdallson, I was Maurr Marson, d-do you remember me ?" The last said as the central orb's guardian took a faltering step towards his sister.

_'So, either Heimdall and he are an adopted father and son or blood uncle and nephew. I didn't even think that Heimdall had relatives. It's not like I ever asked him about it either.'_

Haust frowned, squinting at Maurr before replying, "I...something in your eyes is familiar. I-I'm sorry. You want me to go with you to what you claim is my home, but I like being High Priestess Saeriss apprentice."

Maurr bowed his head, "It is...all right."

Haust moved to take Maurr's hand, "I will visit sometime to see if I remember something. If the High Priestess, Their Majesties and Maurr will excuse me, I need to gather fresh herbs for young Hailfalla Hailsturmson's coming of age ceremony."

With a brief bow and smile the unofficial Apprentice Priestess glided past them into the still softly swirling snow. As Haust disappeared down the path, he made his way to Loki, Sveimun, Laufey and Saeriss.

Relieved laughter left Maurr who whispered, "Atangan Father, Mother, she's alive. She might not remember, but she's alive."

Saeriss invited them into her dark-grey cave. Overall, it was very comfortable if slightly creepy. It was sparsely furnished with dragon-scale leather chairs at the entrance settled around stalagmites and icicles while giant hearth blazing with emerald-fire sat at the back. Above the hearth rested the mikilbjorn and the dragon's giant skulls while two fur-lined beds rested on either side beneath it. Scattered about the cave were natural rock shelves stocked with bundles of herbs, bones, uncut gems and other such things.

They sat and talked long into the night for the first time truly care-free...until the cow wandered in to stand around Loki with Sveimun. For a second, they all stared at the enormous black-furred cow before he and Loki burst into laughter remembering the calf. Whatever problems came they could deal with, after all, hardly anything would compare to what they'd just gone through.


End file.
